The Promised Land Book Of Mormon

[John]

ANorth and South America Promised Land was also taught by several modern Prophets and leaders like Wilford Woodruff , [14] Ezra Taft Benson, [15] and many others. [16] It cannot be placed in one area only, or nation, and still be compatible with the scriptures.

Your approach disclaims any need for the Jews to be restored to their home lands. It also negates what was fought for, prayed for, and that blood was spilt over, whether in Israel or the Book of Mormon!

Why is the land important? Because God covenanted to give it to them, otherwise it would just be like any other land, as referenced in my post. Perhaps you should re-read my post because you are beating a straw man right now. I never argued that the land should be disregarded, as you assume. My point was that any land can be a promised land IF God makes it a promised land (see the examples I give). There are many promised lands, but some North American geography theorists claim that the promised land is what is now the USA. According to scripture and our leaders words, that is not the case.

The beauty of that setting is that, since the Land Northward is also part of the promised land, and the Book of Mormon says little about it, you can make the Land Northward cover whatever area you please!

Interesting sentiments seeing you ignore the four seas that surround the Land Northward and are ignorant of what part of the Land Southward was not surrounded by water, which configuration works only in Western New York.

With Lake Tonawanda as the South Sea, you are making the entire Land Southward into a small neck of land. To properly align the lands with the text, you have to rotate the land about 90 degrees counterclockwise.

Tyler appears to be right; you DO appear to be a fundamentalist. May I remind you that accepting only one possible meaning for the text caused Jewish fundamentalists to completely miss the fact that Jesus Christ is Saviour and Lord?

As we have already seen, "this land" cannot be read as [Great Lakes Theorists] relatively small area in the United States. It is interesting to read what Orson Hyde would have said in answer to [his] question, "Anyone want to guess what land we're talking about?"

Joseph Smith stated ...speaking of the Land of Zion, It consists of all N[orth] & S[outh] America but that any place where the Saints gather is Zion which every righteous man will build up for a place of safety for his children...The redemption of Zion is the redemption of all N[orth] & S[outh] America."[13]

A North and South America Promised Land was also taught by several modern Prophets and leaders like Wilford Woodruff,[14] Ezra Taft Benson,[15] and many others[16]. It cannot be placed in one area only, or nation, and still be compatible with the scriptures.

Orson Pratt: "We are not in possession of our land of promise particularly, only as we obtain it by a renewed promise; but we are inheriting a land that was given to the remnant of Joseph, and God has said that we must be remembered with them in the possession of this land." "The Joy and Happiness, Etc.," Journal of Discourses, reported by David W. Evans 1 November 1868, Vol. 12 (London: Latter-Day Saint's Book Depot, 1869), 322.

Melvin J. Ballard: "...I turn the key, unlock, and open the door for the preaching of the Gospel in all these South American nations...that thy name may be honored and glorified in this part of the land of Zion." Melvin J. Ballard: Crusader for Righteousness (Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, 1966), 81.

Ted E. Brewerton: "Three groups left the land of Jerusalem and crossed the oceans...and arrived in the promised land, the Americas." "The Book of Mormon: A Sacred Ancient Record," Ensign (November 1995): 30.

A Promised Land is a land promised by the Lord to His righteous children. The Lord covenanted with Abraham to give him the land of the Canaanites for an inheritance. Thus, what is now Israel became the Promised Land for Abraham's descendants. The covenant was renewed with Isaac, Jacob, and Moses, so the land of the Canaanites is the promised land of the Jews. A promised land is always a land of bountiful resources.

In the Book of Mormon there are several accounts of peoples led to the Americas and many scriptures calling the Americas, and especially the United States, a "promised land." When the Lord destroyed the Tower of Babel, members of a righteous family approached Him in prayer. A man named Jared asked his brother, Mahonri Moriancumr, to plead with God not to confound their language. The Lord agreed and led them to a promised land on the American continent. In the Book of Mormon, they are called the Jaredites.

Later, the Lord led Mulek, son of Zedekiah, and his associates to the American continent. They were discovered by the Nephites who were led away from Jerusalem at about the same time, just as Jerusalem was about to fall to the Babylonians. The Mulekites kept no records, but the Nephites did:

President Samuelson, members of the faculty, family members, guests, and graduates: my wife, Kathy, and I are honored to celebrate this day and all the accomplishments that have led to it with each of you. We rejoice in the accomplishments and achievements recognized by these proceedings and in the privilege of being with you.

You who graduate today stand on your own riverbank or your own ocean shore, on the edge of your futures. You look off into the distant years before you, searching the horizon for your own promised land that flows with milk and honey. In a sense, we all do, every day.

Third, our promised lands may and probably will change from time to time, and occasionally very abruptly. A phone call from a close family member this very week proves the point. He and his wife have loved living where they are living and doing what they are doing. He has enjoyed an exciting professional opportunity. An event completely unforeseen by them and by many others changed their situation in a heartbeat. Their employment world was turned upside down. We need to expect changes and be prepared for reversals. People nowadays change jobs and even careers several times during their working years. Economic cycles can act like tsunamis. Accidents can rearrange our futures in just a moment, just as disease can do so slowly but inexorably. The loss of a spouse or a child or a parent or a friend can change our circumstances and the substance of our promised land. We have never been promised that those promised lands would be trouble free; thus the need to be deeply rooted, or, as the Savior put it, to be built upon a rock:

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. [Ether 12:27]

Today you cross a modern Red Sea or River Jordan as you graduate from BYU and move on. No generation has been better trained or more richly prepared for its future. As you move out and move on:

We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.

12 And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.

14 And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the Gentiles upon the land of promise; and I beheld the wrath of God, that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered before the Gentiles and were smitten.15 And I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the Gentiles, and they did prosper and obtain the land for their inheritance; and I beheld that they were white, and exceedingly fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain. 1 Nephi 13:11-15.

People who agree with these statements are White Christian Nationalists. The PRRI then talked about which groups of people are most likely to share White Christian Nationalist beliefs. Not surprisingly, white Evangelicals were more likely to be WCNs or sympathize with their beliefs. The report then goes through the breakdown of responses by age, race, gender and educational level. You can read the full report here.

As you can see, the beliefs of White Christian Nationalism go right along with viewing America as the Promised Land. Fortunately, WCNs are only a small proportion of the population. About 10% of people are actually WCNs, and another 20% (or so) sympathize with WCN beliefs. A whopping 7 out of 10 people disagree with WCN beliefs. White Christian Nationalists are NOT a majority and they are not acting on behalf of a silent majority. They are the minority.

In fact, this is one area where I can see that the LDS far-right has a point when they assert that President Nelson is a fallen prophet. The Book of Mormon teachings are very clear that America is the Promised Land. Moroni put it most plainly when he was telling the story of the Jaredites:

8 And he had sworn in his wrath unto the brother of Jared, that whoso should possess this land of promise, from that time henceforth and forever, should serve him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath should come upon them.

9 And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity.

10 For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off.

3a8082e126