Critics argue that horses were extinct in the western hemisphere over 10,000. Traditionally climate change gets the rap, but paul martin has made a convincing case that the wave of advance of native americans about,000 years ago led to the extinction of most large mammals in the amer. Book of mormon difficulties, contradictions and explanations. Horses and the book of mormon why the lds church is true. Horses evolved in north america, but became extinct at the end of the pleistocene. Below is one way scholars explain horses in mesoamerica.
The book of mormon includes animals that possibly became extinct in north america. Horses did not reappear in the americas until the spaniards brought. Scientists, historians, and other scholars have long maintained the view that there were no horses in the americas during book of mormon. It was not big enough, or strong enough, to be used for any kind of load bearing, especially not for the purpose of battle. Book of mormon verses containing the reference to horses. Horses evolved in north america but are believed to have become extinct on the american continent at the end of the pleistocene.
There are five incidences where horses are mentioned in the book of mormon, and are portrayed as being in the forest upon first arrival of the nephites, raise d, fed, prepared in conjunction with chariots, used for food, and being useful unto man. Horses were present but their remains have not been found. Lots of information on the hardships these wild horses face and yet they survive. However, as other users have said, horses in the americas died out at the end of the last ice age. Skeptics pick out a handful of things that are mentioned in the book of mormon which they say did not really exist in ancient america. The earliest scientific description of peccaries in the new world in brazil in 1547 referred to them as wild pigs. The last known evidence of native horses was found in north america around 7600 years ago in alaska. In other words, critics claim that the book of mormon is a fraud, since horses mentioned in the book of mormon couldnt have lived here at the time of the nephites.
There is no evidence that horses existed on the american continent during the 2,5003,000 year history of the book of mormon 2500 bcad 400. Nor does the book of mormon text indicate that horses or chariots play any role in the many nephite wars despite a popular classic book of mormon painting by arnold friburg depicting helaman leading the 2000 stripling warriors while astride a battleready horse. According to the most scientists, the mention of horses in the. Book of mormon horses in ancient north america book of. Mentioned in ether, mastodons and mammoths lived in north america during the pleistocene era, yet became extinct on this continent towards the end of the last ice age, predating the book of mormon by thousands of years.
The book of mormon claims that horses were found on the american continent after the arrival of at least two groups of people. Horses did not reappear in the americas until the spaniards brought them from europe. Horses evolved in north america, but are believed to have become extinct on the american continent at. Hunter and thomas stuart ferguson, ancient america and the book of mormon, pp.
Scientists, historians, and other scholars have long maintained the view that there were no horses in the americas during book of mormon times. This paper is based on a talk and powerpoint presentation given to the book of mormon lands conference, 20 october 2007. Horses in america this is one issue that i knew was fishy as a tbm although it never bothered me enough to get me out. The book of mormon speaks of horses used by book of mormon peoples, and yet there is no proof of such a thing. In fact, book of mormon horses are never mentioned in a combat narrative. Students of the book of mormon dont need to account to critics for the mention of dogs in its text for the very good reason that when the white man explored this continent after its discovery, he found that every indian tribe had them. At first glance, its a simple case for rejecting the book. Sep 12, 2016 even if the wild horses of north america went extinct according the book of mormon enough survived that domesticated horses were used by the nephites. Horses evolved in north america,2 but became extinct at the end of the pleistocene34.
The topic of horses in the book of mormons depiction of the ancient new. In fact, horses went extinct in the americas thousands of years before they show up in the book of mormon. Mormon authors advocating the original moundbuilder setting for the book of mormon have similarly suggested north american peccaries also called wild pigs as the swine of the jaredites. Thus, the mention of horses in the americas during book of mormon times. The most recent issue of byu studies quarterly includes an article by wade miller and matt roper with new evidence challenging this view. From time to time, apparently ancient horse teeth or bones had been found in north america, but they were usually dismissed or ignored. We do not have time machines to go back and see for sure what really existed. Some people believe that references to horses are out of place since it is widely believed that they were extinct long before book of mormon times. Horses in america and book of mormon recovery from mormonism. Jan 29, 2018 one of the most persistent questions about the book of mormon has been the mention of horses among the nephites, lamanites, and jaredites. Just posting some links to recent stuff on horses in america.
Precolumbian horses in north america the book of mormon talks about horses. Some of the animals that once lived in the americas. Since the publication of the book of mormon in 1830, mormon archaeologists have attempted. The abundance and widespread distribution of horses in north america make the apparent disappearance of the group in this region prior to the advent of the white man an added and an unusual feature of their long and eventful career. The existence of ancient, indigenous horses on the american continent was only first accepted in 1848, when richard owen described a fossil horse from south america. Geographical, and other evidences in support of the book of mormon landscape, as found in north america. Since horses were supposedly extinct in the americas during book of mormon times, the mention of horses is seen to be anachronistic. When most of us recontextualize book of mormon horses, we tend to. Jul 16, 2019 many people who believe in the mesoamerican theory try very hard to explain why horses are mentioned in the book of mormon, when they cant show horses anciently in mesoamerica. The question of horses in the book of mormon meridian magazine. The first paleontological site in north america was probably at big bone lick, which is now big bone lick state park near the ohio river in.
Nov 01, 2008 but, now the lds church is saying the horse referred to in the book of mormon is probably a tapir or deer like animal known in central and south america, as is noted in an article from the fairlds site horses in the book of mormon by mike ash. May 06, 2011 but even if we dismiss this fact we run into another issue. Feb 05, 2018 at first glance, its a simple case for rejecting the book. Horses are mentioned in eight different book of mormon episodes that involve an ancient new world setting. As for horses, its possible that actual horses were meant, for evidence exists of actual precolumbian horses in book of mormon times. The question of horses in the book of mormon meridian. Dont expect a 1996 tour of the san diego zoo to be a reliable guide to understanding the creatures mentioned in either the bible or the book of mormon. Sep, 2012 journey of faith the new world, chronicles the book of mormon, another testament of jesus christ. Update on horses in the book of mormon mormanity a mormon. Horses in the book of mormon lds scripture teachings. The abundance and widespread distribution of horses in north america make the. Exploring book of mormon in americas heartland photobook rod l.
Archaeologists have found many ancient horse bones dated before columbus in north america. Exploring book of mormon in americas heartland photobook. Thoughtful insights from 32 top scholars continue the journey into the book of mormon s thousand. But its also another one that clearly shows that ole joe was clearly talking out his ass. Beautiful book, stunning photographs of wild horses, in the west and on barrier islands in north carolina and the famous ponies of assateague in virginia. In south america, native horses went extinct a little bit later but probably for similar reasons. The fact is the hagerman horse is about the size of a large pony. Dec 01, 2017 horses, scholars believe, were only reintroduced by columbus to the carribbean in 1493, and by cortez to the continent over two decades later in 1819. There were beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and the ass and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals1 nephi 18. So as to horses in america goes, this part of the book of mormon still remains unproven.
The nwaf failed to find evidence to prove the book of mormon, and the man who organized it. Interestingly though, once again it is believed that the clovis people who i believe are the same nephitelamanite peoples mentioned in the book of mormon caused the extinction of north. I hear people say theyre from the cortez groups that went wild and populated north america. Horses, cattle, oxen, sheep, swine, goats, elephants, wheels, chariots, wheat, silk, steel, and iron did not exist in precolumbian america during book of mormon times. Journey of faith the new world, chronicles the book of mormon, another testament of jesus christ. Dec 24, 2008 if the book of mormon truly is an ancient history of america, we can search the book of mormon, then search archaeology to discover if the book of mormon is accurate. Book of mormon horses do not function anything like nineteenthcentury farm or field horses, nor are they utilized by either the nephites or lamanites as were the horses belonging to the farmers, explorers, or native americans in joseph smiths milieu. Thus, the mention of horses in the americas during book of mormon times presents an anachronismsomething that doesnt fit the time frame for which it is claimed. Hard evidence of ancient american horses byu studies. Horses are mentioned in eight different book of mormon episodes that involve an. Horses in the book of mormon book of mormon archaeological. The aggressive mountain goat is indigenous to north america.
Shields the book of mormon the problem of the horse dr. When most of us recontextualize book of mormon horses, we tend to envision nephites riding traditional horses into battle or using them to pull chariots. Nov 17, 2017 knowing why bomc censors north american as a working hypothesis posted november 17, 2017 jonathan neville book of mormon central has released a new book titled knowing why. Most scientists believe that the horse originated in the americas and spread across land. Why are these things mentioned if scientists say they didnt exist in america. Since horses were supposedly extinct in the americas during book of mormon.
Book of mormon horses in ancient north america book of mormon. The book of mormon mentions that horses were known and used by the jaredites and the people of lehi. It is estimated that at least twenty distinct breeds were present in north and south america. Ferguson eeventually became convinced that the book of mormon is a work of fiction, whose contents bear no relationship to the reality of native american civilization prior to 385 ce. One of the toughest challenges for the book of mormon is the issue of horses. Both are known to have been native to north america during the pleistocene epoch and earlier. There is no evidence that horses existed on the american continent during the timeframe of the book of mormon. Horses in the book of mormon book of mormon mormon. Horse remains have been found in california which radiocarbon date before the spanish arrival to the area. While science can gather evidence and make some logical models for history, it is illogical to say. Ancient horses and the book of mormon book of mormon. In light of this view, latterday saints have approached this question in one of two ways. New evidence for horses in america book of mormon central.
There are at least two possible resolutions to the horse problem in the book of mormon. Were there horses in the americas before columbus and the. Mormon challenges are precolumbian horses in book of. Book of mormon geography, the near cumorah setting book of. There is no evidence that horses existed on the american continent during the 25003000 year history of the book of mormon 2500 b. May 26, 2018 in his letter to a ces director, jeremy runnells asks why horses are mentioned in the book of mormon when, supposedly, no horses existed in precolumbian america. While the horse and ass belong to the same biologic genus, equus, they are separate species. Thoughtful insights from 32 top scholars continue the.
Those specifically named include the elephant mammoth, horse, and ass. Horses evolved in north america but are believed to have become extinct on the. There were beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and the ass and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals 1 nephi 18. My friends and i would always just replied with but there were horses bc the book of mormon says so.
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