The Evolution of Anti-Mormonism
Large Areas of Population
Accusation #6. Another popular accusation is that there is no geological evidence for the large amount of populations that were described in The Book of Mormon. Towards the end of The Book of Mormon there is mention of many different armies that were numbered at 10,000 each. In the 6th chapter of Mormon, there were 23 commanders of 10,000 soldiers each who had fallen. This would be 230,000 soldiers not counting their wives and children. These were the people of the Nephites. The armies of the Lamanites were probably even bigger because the Nephites were "filled with terror because of the greatness of their numbers" (Mormon 6:8).
Estimating the total number of Nephite population, assuming each soldier had a wife and two children, a good estimate would be 690,000 Nephites. Doubling that number for the Lamanites, there would be almost 1,400,000 people in the South Mexico and Central American region.
Response to Accusation #6. The accusation that these immense numbers of populations that were mentioned in the Book of Mormon is in fact not supported geologically. This accusation is false and without any geologically support!
If you study the Aztecs, the Mayans, and the Incas, you will find that several of their populations were over one million inhabitants. If you would go to the ancient city of Teotihuacan, one hour drive north of Mexico City, you would learn that that city alone, which was found deserted by the Aztecs in about 400 to 500 ad, is estimated to have populated up to 200,000 (two hundred thousand) people in the city and immediate surrounding areas. These people disappeared prior to their discovery in 400 to 500 ad. Funny coincidence that the Nephites were destroyed in about 421 ad! This one city of approximately 200,000 people would account for 29% of the total Nephite population.
There are several more ancient American cities that have been discovered that would have populations of 10,000 or more.
Another remnant of an ancient society in south Mexico that I think are called the Olmecs or something close to that. Nobody knows where they came from and where they went. Archeological dating has placed them before 500 bc.
I have not done the exact study of the Olmecs yet or been to their ruins. But what little I know about their locations and dating, the Book of Mormon relates the history of a Jewish people that came to the Americas at the time of the Tower of Babel and the history in the BofM has them down to around 300 to 400 BC.
Are these Olmecs the same people that are related in the book of Ether in The Book of Mormon? They could be! The location maps out correctly and preliminary datings are pretty closely matched. Is this another record of The Book of Mormon that is actually located in the Central American area? Could Be…that would make at least four locations!
Again, I ask these people who make these unsupported assumptions, what was their scientific method that they used? Where did they get their research data that made them conclude that Joseph Smith was a liar? Again, I ask, what will their response be to these facts and evidences in support of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon?
