Volcanoes: Proof of Truth

[_Scottie]

I've assiduously ignored it, and I plan to assiduously ignore quite a bit besides.

With practice, I believe that I'll be able to assiduously ignore more and more here. And it already feels very good.

But, why?

[_Daniel Peterson]

I've assiduously ignored it, and I plan to assiduously ignore quite a bit besides.

With practice, I believe that I'll be able to assiduously ignore more and more here. And it already feels very good.

But, why?

Loss of interest.

[_Scottie]

Loss of interest.

Would it matter if I'm interested? I'd like to hear your defense of this.

[_beastie]

Interestingly enough, the Tambora explosion that caused the “year of no summer” that directly impacted Joseph Smith’ family is the largest explosion in recorded history. It is second in power to the Yellowstone eruption. As I previously mentioned, its effect on the world-wide climate was significant and devastating. According to this source, settlements 200-300 miles heard the explosion and thought it was cannon fire. Java, 300 miles away, was darkened by the ash. Houses forty miles away collapsed from the weight of the ash on their roofs. It caused widespread flooding. Vegetation didn’t grow again in a 250 mile radius for five years. Certainly Tamora had an immediate devastating effect. This map shows the ash fall-out, and it seems limited to about a 300 mile radius.

Now look at the devastation described in the Book of Mormon:

5 And it came to pass in the thirty and fourth year, in the first month, on the fourth day of the month, there arose a great storm, such an one as never had been known in all the land.
6 And there was also a great and terrible tempest; and there was terrible thunder, insomuch that it did shake the whole earth as if it was about to divide asunder.
7 And there were exceedingly sharp lightnings, such as never had been known in all the land.
8 And the city of Zarahemla did take fire.
9 And the city of Moroni did sink into the depths of the sea, and the inhabitants thereof were drowned.
10 And the earth was carried up upon the city of Moronihah, that in the place of the city there became a great mountain.
11 And there was a great and terrible destruction in the land southward.
12 But behold, there was a more great and terrible destruction in the land northward; for behold, the whole face of the land was changed, because of the tempest and the whirlwinds, and the thunderings and the lightnings, and the exceedingly great quaking of the whole earth;
13 And the highways were broken up, and the level roads were spoiled, and many smooth places became rough.
14 And many great and notable cities were sunk, and many were burned, and many were shaken till the buildings thereof had fallen to the earth, and the inhabitants thereof were slain, and the places were left desolate.
15 And there were some cities which remained; but the damage thereof was exceedingly great, and there were many in them who were slain.

3 Nephi 8

My comments from my website:

Certainly it is possible that some of the destruction described in the Book of Mormon could have originated from a massive volcanic eruption. Volcanoes can cause cities to be buried, burned, and even flooded when the volcano forces a river to change course. However, only a truly massive eruption could cause the magnitude of destruction described in the Book of Mormon that extended across an entire region. The cities of Zarahemla, Moronihah, Moroni, are specifically listed in Chapter 8. Chapter 9 lists more cities by name: Gilgal, Onihah, Mocum, Jerusalem, Gadiandi, Gadiomnah, Jacob, Gimigimno, Jacobugath, Laman, Josh, Gad, and Kishkumen. These cities extend across the entire region specified by the Book of Mormon as being “Nephite”, and even extend into the Lamanite region. Conservatively, 75,000 square miles were impacted by this event. Just what kind of eruption could have caused this level of destruction?

I argue that even Tambora was not powerful enough to cause the immediate destruction described in the Book of Mormon.

[_moksha]

I argue that even Tambora was not powerful enough to cause the immediate destruction described in the Book of Mormon.

What if in a limited geographical sense, these cities where all clustered within a mile of each other? What if the city falling into the sea was on an overhanging cliff, poised right above the ocean?



.

[_beastie]

The LIMITED limited geography theory.

In the end, it will all end up having taken place in some teenage Mesoamerican's mom's basement.

[_antishock8]

The LIMITED limited geography theory.

In the end, it will all end up having taken place in some teenage Mesoamerican's mom's basement.