Jonathan Neville rejects the teachings of prophet Russell M. Nelson
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Tags: Church leadership, First Presidency
Just over two months ago, President Russell M. Nelson toured Latin America, where he told 22,000 members of the Church in Guatemala that, “The lands of Central America and South America are studded with ruins—remnants—of ancient civilizations,” and that, through the Book of Mormon, “we not only learn more about those ancient inhabitants, but we learn that the Lord cares for His children in this hemisphere, both in ancient times, and in modern times.”
During that same tour, President Nelson spoke to 5,825 missionaries from thirty-five missions in Brazil, where he told them how to introduce the Book of Mormon to Brazilians who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
So, apparently, President Nelson—whom 16 million Latter-day Saints sustain as prophet, seer, and revelator—does not believe the Heartland theory that the Book of Mormon city of Bountiful, where Jesus appeared to the Book of Mormon peoples, is in the American Midwest.
Yet Jonathan Neville rejects the teachings of the prophet by continuing to insist that “the Book of Mormon took place in North America, not Central America or anywhere else,” that the land Bountiful was in present-day Ohio, and that the Church’s Correlation Department is “repudiating the prophets” by showing artwork depicting Jesus appearing to the Nephites in Central America.
Whom should be follow? President Russell M. Nelson? Or Jonathan Neville?
I’d say the answer to that is fairly obvious to everyone…except, of course, Jonathan Neville.
—Peter Pan
During that same tour, President Nelson spoke to 5,825 missionaries from thirty-five missions in Brazil, where he told them how to introduce the Book of Mormon to Brazilians who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
Ask if they know about the mission of Jesus Christ to the people of South America.According to the Church News, he told these missionaries to “open to 3 Nephi 11 where they can read Jesus Christ’s ‘important words’ spoken to the Nephites.”
So, apparently, President Nelson—whom 16 million Latter-day Saints sustain as prophet, seer, and revelator—does not believe the Heartland theory that the Book of Mormon city of Bountiful, where Jesus appeared to the Book of Mormon peoples, is in the American Midwest.
Yet Jonathan Neville rejects the teachings of the prophet by continuing to insist that “the Book of Mormon took place in North America, not Central America or anywhere else,” that the land Bountiful was in present-day Ohio, and that the Church’s Correlation Department is “repudiating the prophets” by showing artwork depicting Jesus appearing to the Nephites in Central America.
I’d say the answer to that is fairly obvious to everyone…except, of course, Jonathan Neville.
—Peter Pan
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Today I had the privilege of serving in the Salt Lake Temple (cleaning). What a wonderful to spend a Veterans Day Monday (I am a vet). In the hallway that leads to the baptistery, where the workers staged, there is a picture of the Savior blessing Nephite children. Behind the Savior is a large pyramid shaped Mayan temple. The title of the the this picture is "Christ in the Land Bountiful" It can be found here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media-library/images/christ-land-bountiful-174607?lang=eng
ReplyDeleteThis is the only piece of art in the Salt Lake Temple that has a depiction that includes Mayan culture.
I supposed Jonathan Neville would claim that the Temple Department has also succumbed to the “M2C” conspiracy. 😉
DeleteOr perhaps the temple itself. (Also need an edit - should read "This is not the only piece ..." then delete this part.)
DeleteStephen, I think Jonathan Devilinlettersevenneville is actually a lesser challenger to geography than those (mainstream) scholars espousing Usumacinta/Sidon theories. Are you working on the Grijalva-versus-Usumacinta controversy? I would like for you to address it. It seems many scholars are forgetting John L. Sorenson's works.
ReplyDelete---Jeff Faulkner, symmetrybom@gmail.com
Jeff,
DeleteMy name isn’t Stephen. I’m afraid that I don’t know who you’re addressing. Sorry!
—Peter
To be clear, Jonathan Neville is not repudiating the Prophet's words in the least degree. According to your post, Pres. Nelson said to the Brazilian people, "Ask if they know about the mission of Jesus Christ to the people of South America." And lets review what Jesus told the Nephites in 3rd Ne 16?
ReplyDelete"1 And verily, verily, I say unto you that I have other sheep, which are not of this land, neither of the land of Jerusalem, neither in any parts of that land round about whither I have been to minister.
2 For they of whom I speak are they who have not as yet heard my voice; neither have I at any time manifested myself unto them."
You see, President Nelson is simply referring to the fact that Jesus said He would visit many (if not all) people in many lands where he had never before ministered. Jonathan is saying what Jesus said He would do. i.e. Manifest Himself unto the people of Central and South America as well as people on the Isles of the sea and perhaps every other land. We do not know, but we do know that the "Great White God" mythology extends far and wide and is especially strong in South and Central America to be sure. But that does not make very tribe he visited a Nephite.
That’s a clever interpretation, but unfortunately it doesn’t line up with other comments made by President Nelson and other Church leaders.
DeletePresident Nelson in 2019 told the Saints in Guatemala, “The lands of Central America and South America are studded with ruins—remnants—of ancient civilizations. One wonders what life must have been like among those people. Add to that the message on the title page of the Book of Mormon, that it is ‘written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel,’ we not only learn more about those ancient inhabitants, but we learn that the Lord cares for His children in this hemisphere, both in ancient times, and in modern times.”
https://www.thechurchnews.com/2019/8/25/23215386/latam-president-russell-m-nelson-guatemala
There’s also Apostle Gerrit W. Gong, who taught in April 2021 General Conference:
“By 2025, we anticipate as many Church members may live in Latin America as in the United States and Canada. The gathering of Father Lehi’s faithful descendants is fulfilling prophecy.”
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/04/16gong
Apostle Marion G. Romney taught in April 1963 General Conference:
“I have for the past two years been supervising the Latin American missions. It may not, therefore, be wholly inappropriate for me to say something about the Lamanites, many of whom live in these missions.”
https://archive.org/details/conferencereport1963a/page/n75
Apostle Anthony W. Ivins indicated that “the Book of Mormon lands embraced mainly Yucatan and Mexico.”
https://www.nevillenevilleland.com/2020/08/elder-anthony-w-ivins-m2c-intellectual.html
Brigham Young in a letter he wrote in 1876, “look[ed] forward to the time when the settlements of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints will extend right through to the City of Old Mexico, and from thence on through Central America to the land where the Nephites flourished in the Golden era of their history.”
https://www.nevillenevilleland.com/2021/09/brigham-young-m2c-intellectual.html
President Nelson’s words to the people of Brazil should be understood literally and directly.