Posted by:
mikemitchell
(
)
Date: February 12, 2018 05:16PM
Thanks for the link. It was a good read.
In addition to the Mormon claims, there is valid skepticism about the National Geographic article itself. Here is one example.
http://publishingarchaeology.blogspot.com/2018/02/why-i-am-skeptical-about-new-maya-lidar.htmlI have seen some Mormons claim that the discovery of causeways supports the Book of Mormon, as if this latest LiDAR survey found them for the first time. That is simply wrong. They have been known about from the very beginning of Spanish explorations in Mayan regions. Mayans were even observed using them and this was reported in some of the earliest Spanish writings which were translated into English and republished long before Joseph Smith came alone. But that doesn't help the narrative of Mormons, how could Joseph have known?
This latest National Geographic on the Mayan isn't the first overly sensationalized report to the media. The lost city of the Monkey God created quite a controversy with informative responses from the scientific community.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-recent-expedition-really-discover-lost-city-honduras-180954559/Some Mormons grab onto headlines for hope but they seem oblivious to the over sensationalized nature of those reports and just won't listen to reason. That tends to cause even more doubt from an intelligent and rational believer who can see through the BS.
I noticed on the blog that a Heartlander commented, as if their claims of the Hopewell somehow are better than the Mayan claims. The LDS church is really in a sad state of affairs when the members can't even come to an agreement over something as simple as where those ridiculous Book of Mormon stories were supposed to have happened.