Speaking of Glenn Beck...

In addition to incurring the on-the-record rebuking of some Mormon scholars over his position on "social justice," (see, for example, Mormon scholar: "Glenn Beck doesn't speak for the Mormons I know," and Christians Urged to Boycott Glenn Beck), it looks as though Glenn Beck might evoke, if not public complaints, at the very least some eyerolls and annoyed whisperings from a different group of Mormon scholars: those found among the ranks of FARMS and FAIR.

A couple entries ago, I mentioned the debate currently ongoing between two different camps of Latter-day Saints with respect to Book of Mormon geography: those who believe the events of that book were primarily confined to a relatively small area of Mesoamerica and those who hold that the book's events occurred in a much larger area covering a significant portion of present day U.S.

If you are unfamiliar with the two competing theories, for a description of the Mesoamerican team's position, see this overview of the Limited Geography Theory, or LGT, prepared by FAIR, advocates of the model. To see the opposing theory, so christened the "Heartland model," see, for only one example of many, the FAQ at BookOfMormonEvidence.org.

So, why, then, would those at FARMS and FAIR, proponents of the LGT, have reason to be irritated with Glenn Beck? Well, it appears the popular LDS television and radio host has lent his celebrity and potentially huge influence with fellow Mormons to Promised Land Publications, champions of the Heartland model, to promote their recent 2-day conference held in Sandy, UT.

To hear Glenn Beck's promotion, visit http://www.ldspromisedland.com/index.php?showpage=Glennbeck.php. To hear the collective groan of FARMS/FAIR as their opponent gets the endorsement of arguably one of the most popular and famous Mormons in the church, make a long, pain-filled groaning sound and pretend you heard it coming from the Maxwell Institute at BYU, and that'll probably be pretty close.

Book of Mormon Geography Debate Makes Headlines...

...in Utah.

But, still.

I think it's rad that a debate between two different groups of believers in the BoM has generated so much interest as to be deemed newsworthy... ok, in Utah.

But, still!

Book of Mormon geography stirring controversy: Dueling theories - Faithful at odds over where events may have taken place. (Salt Lake Tribune, 25 March)

(Does it bother anyone else that not all the words in a news article's title are capitalized? No? Just me? Aight then.)

On the one side you have those LDS who believe most of the events in the BoM were limited to a relatively small area in Mesoamerica (FARMS & FAIR), and on the other you have those who believe the BoM peoples inhabited a much larger area covering considerable portions of present day U.S. Each side claims different chains of evidence, and, for my money, the Mesoamerican blokes have the more plausible arguments, but the other fellas claim the support of authoritative prophetic utterances, which appears to be resonating with many Latter-day Saints.

Since, personally, I struggle in accepting that the events described in the BoM actually occurred at all, I don't really have a dog in this fight.

And after taking in the Trib article linked above, a fight is exactly what it is fast becoming.

That the back and forth between the two camps has gone beyond disagreements over evidence and spilled over into accusations that the other side's methods "undermine" the Church, a simple scholarly difference of opinion between believers could plausibly escalate into the sort of spectacle in which critics of the Church would undoubtedly take delight.



Edited to add: This news story, due, in part, to the growing influence of Mormon Droppings, has now made headlines outside the Mormon Corridor. See the Houston Chronicle's Debate on Mormons' geographic origins heats up.