I came across this post from August 9th, 2012, entitled "We bear witness of the truthfulness of this EARTH SHATTERING LDS NEWS!!!!"
The overwhelming consensus on AVOW is that Daniel C. Peterson was fired from the Maxwell Institute because he was critical of Rodney Meldrum and the Heartland Theory. Here are just a few of the comments:
jolthof wrote:The Lord just removed a big stumbling block by firing these apostates from FARM.
somedude wrote:Everyone knows the Book of Mormon lands are in North America. Are these guys idiots or just trying to lead people astray?
brack wrote:I have also always believed the lands of the Book of Mormon are in North America. I enjoyed the Cumorah Tapes when I was younger which really set out a very convincing body of evidence for this idea. The most obvious supports for this idea is my testimony and that the Book of Mormon consistently refers to this land as a land of liberty, free of bondage- a promised land. There is only one place that fits that description. Pretty clear cut to me.
victoria wrote:I have been to several of the seminars tha Rod Meldrum has put on and they are great. I have a strong testimony that the Book of Mormon took place in America.
filibuster wrote:Great news. The press release says they fired the people most critical of the heartland idea or in other words, those that favored the mesoamerican theories.
marti wrote:So they fired the guys that disagree with Rod Meldrum? It is about time.
kev wrote:If you haven't read Meldrum's book you should. Very interesting and very convincing based on DNA evidence.
BuzzLightening wrote:Director Bradford cited a desire to "take the Review (Mormon Studies Review, formerly FARMS Review) in a different direction." The "shake-up," as it was called in a Salt Lake Tribune newspaper article, involves the dismissal of several of the most ardent critics of the Heartland Model Geography, and marks the end of the organization formerly known as FARMS and their flagship publication, FARMS Review.
beck wrote:I could never quite wrap my head around to what some people referred to as the two Cumorah theory. That just didn't add up for me. It's stupid.
dlowman wrote:I am going this Sunday to the great circle mound. I believe this to be the city bountiful and where Christ visited the people after the great destructions. I look forward to it.
flamia wrote:I suspect that this house cleaning is more about academic integrity and honesty than which theory holds the most sway, although I personally believe Meldrum's theory that the B. of M. lands are in North America and not in Central America. Meldrum's evidence goes way beyond the DNA issue that some have used to ridicule him. I have been very annoyed with FARMS for many years because I believe that they have intentionally ignored or attacked anything that did not support their own Mesoamerican theory of the B. of M. I further believe that FARMS became vested in their theory, to the exclusion of all other evidence, for reasons that had nothing to do with the pure search for truth. The two Cummorah theory is solid evidence of the silly contortions that FARMS has gone through in order to make the Mesoamerican theory make sense.
beseder wrote:Think how many weak testimonied people would leave the church if the Mesoamerican theory is proved incorrect. Better to live under a false concept than to lose members....cultural or spiritual members.
Northstar wrote:I know Hugh Nibley even had issues with the inner politics of FARMS. He definately was not a meso american theroist and felt very strongly the Book of Mormon took place here. I am sure the big push of the meso-american theory has put the church in a tight spot. Mainly because we have all these people that missionaries have told are lamanites, when they may or may not be. More than likely aren't according to their DNA. The myth became fact thanks mostly to FARMS. So I beleive the church is officially coming out with the stance that they have no stance on geography right now. Which is ironically the stance that they have maintainted through all this. But I know the biggest issue with FARMS was the way they attacked good members in standing as if they were the defenders of the church and the final say. FAIR is very much doing the same thing and the two groups are very closely connected.
shadrach wrote:On Zions March, Joseph also said, "We are walking through the lands of the Nephites." I don't think they were in Guatemala!
historicalbabe wrote:Of course the Book of Mormon lands are in the USA. I've always had a problem the whole mesoamerica scenario. It never made sense to me. All you have to do is pray about and you will get a spiritual confirmation.