"That is the position of the Latter-day Saints today, with respect to the much-discussed location of the Garden of Eden. Adam, after his expulsion from the Garden of Eden, lived in the vicinity of the great Missouri and Mississippi rivers.

As his descendants multiplied, they would naturally settle along the fertile and climatically acceptable river valleys. When the flood came in the days of Noah, the Mississippi drainage must have increased to a tremendous volume, quite in harmony with the Biblical account. Noah’s ark would be floated on the mighty, rushing waters, towards the Gulf of Mexico. With favorable winds, it would cross the Atlantic to the Eastern continents.

There the human race, in its second start on earth, began to multiply and fill the earth. The location of the Garden of Eden in America, and at Independence, Missouri, clears up many a problem, which the Bible account of Eden and its garden has left in the minds of students.”

- Apostle John A. Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations, 1960, pp. 396-397


I wonder what they teach in biography classes at BYU and other Utah Schools these days.

hahahahahaha

- the Mississippi drainage must have increased to a tremendous volume -

yup, since the flood supposedly put the entire landmass under water.

And NO PLACE in Missouri could have even possibly been Eden. Too many chiggers and whatnots.

As many others outside of Mormonism, he believe it was a localized event: the Mississippi rose to a level it might have in a major flooding event, such as those that have occurred in our lifetimes. There was enough to lift the ark and sweep it down the river, out into the Gulf of Mexico, and from there into the Atlantic and on to the Middle East. Of course, although his interpretation might solve many questions, it raises so many others as to render it worthless, in my opinion.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/2011 04:23AM by Fetal Deity.

Actually, the Garden of Eden was in the northern part of Liberty County, Florida, but the Mormons don't know that. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol,_Florida , scroll down a bit.

"There the human race, in its second start on earth, began to multiply and fill the earth. The location of the Garden of Eden in America, and at Independence, Missouri, clears up many a problem, which the Bible account of Eden and its garden has left in the minds of students.”

- Apostle John A. Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations, 1960, pp. 396-397


Yeah that totally clears everything up. As TBMs we were so blessed to have living prophets help us sort these things out. Good grief.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/2011 09:26AM by madiran.

I have it on good authority that the old wreck stumbled upon by Huck Finn and Runaway Jim (you know, where they found Huck's Dad dead?)was actually remnants of the Ark. Jim made some crayon rub-overs of graffiti on the wall where Ham used a knife to inscribe "Ham was here. I (heart) black chicks."

Just sayin'...

Ron

That silly Bible! Placing Eden at the headwaters of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers when everyone knows it was in Missouri. And it's a good thing kangaroos can hop, as they had to hop over from Australia to get on the danged ark. Why, Noah's ark probably had a casino on it, as is appropriate for a Mississippi riverboat. No doubt the rooms were splendid, as even elephants were made comfortable!

We all know that in the last days the people of God will gather to 1. Jerusalem in Palestine and 2. New Jerusalem in Missouri. We also know that there is a York in Britain and a New York in America, there is a Jersey and a New Jersey etc...

What if there also were an Eden in the Middle East and a New Eden in Missouri? A Noah and a New Noah, an Ark and a New Ark...! That would explain everything.

And a Flood and a New Flood!

So... if the Mississippi was flowing along its usual path, into a Gulf of Mexico... wouldn't that mean there's still some land around? Hey, the whole Gulf coast is so mountainous, that's easy to believe.

And if there was still land around causing water to sorta kinda flow like it usually does, wouldn't the ark then follow the Gulf Stream?

Actually I think the account from Evan Almighty is a little easier to believe.