Dr. F. Richard Hauck – “Deciphering the geography of the Book of Mormon: settlements and routes in ancient America” (Deseret Book, 1988) – Archaeological Research Institute
Like most (if not all) academicians invested in Mesoamerica, Hauck would die before admitting their life’s work had zero relevance to the geography of the Book of Mormon. As we mentioned, with other ancient societies and their ruins they are fascinating, but they are not Jaredite, Mulekite, or Nephite.
Due to his efforts to prepare a new volume to correct the errors of his first, we will watch each segment as he posts them on the Meridian Magazine website. As far as we know, he is the first to claim that part of the Spiritual Geography was fulfilled in Guatemala. He is sure, absolutely sure, that his view is correct:
“The only possible location where events of the Book of Mormon occurred was within Central America, specifically the region of eastern ancient Mesoamerica, which comprises Guatemala, southeastern Mexico, and Belize. This is because it is the only locality in the world that meets the geographic and cultural criteria as specifically stated in the Book of Mormon. I can state this without equivocation because of years of analytical experience and field testing in Guatemala and Mexico.”
That is nonsense. He meant to say, “According to my Book of Mormon cultural interpretations and geographical extrapolations, I have a match.” No one doubts that he successfully reverse-engineered his model. What is debatable, however, are his extrapolations.
“In addition to the consistency of the text and of the setting, there is a second compelling witness that this area of Mesoamerica was the homeland of the Jaredite, Nephite, and Lamanite people: it is the central location where the restoration of the Lord’s covenant promises are being reestablished among the remnant of His ancient peoples of the Book of Mormon.”
What an odd thing to say. The first Guatemalan conversion occurred in 1948, yet the Book of Mormon came forth in 1828! What was the Book of Mormon doing for its first 120 years if not fulfilling prophecy?
“Nephi spoke of this restoration of covenant blessings in 1 Nephi 22:5-12 wherein—citing the prophecies of Isaiah—he prophesies that his descendants and the descendants of the Lamanites would lose their knowledge of the Gospel and become scattered and later gathered together by the Gentiles. He states in verses 8 and 12 the following:
And after our seed is scattered the Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the Gentiles, which shall be of great worth unto our seed…. Wherefore he will bring them out of captivity, and they shall be gathered together to the lands of their inheritance; and they shall be brought out of obscurity and out of darkness; and they shall know that the Lord is their Savior and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.
Can a similar experience be identified among native indigenous peoples in the variety of alternative North American locations for the setting of the Book of Mormon?”
What part of that prophecy was fulfilled in Guatemala? Did religious refugees flee their mother countries and go to Guatemala? Were those refugees white, and did they come by the “multitudes?” Do they own said Book of Mormon lands in Guatemala? Is the largest demographic on those lands white? Are those white Gentiles who are inhabiting Book of Mormon lands greater than all other nations? Are they free of oppression? Did those white Gentiles scatter but also gather the indigenous peoples of those lands? Together, did they found a new government that respects religious freedom and Jesus as their head?
The truth is, Guatemala is the antithesis of Book of Mormon prophecy (no offense):
- 16% white
- 50%-60% Catholic
- 40% Protestant
- Lowest literacy rate of all Central American nations
- Between 500,000 and 1.5 million Guatemalans fled their lands to go to America
- Its largest source of income is funds sent back from America by immigrants there
- There is not a single natural harbor on its western border (where Lehi and Hagoth docked)
- 56% of its population is living under the poverty line
- A “Pariah State” due to its “legacy of societal violence and dysfunctional law enforcement and judicial systems”
- According to the State Department, Guatemala has one of the highest violent crime rates in Latin America
- “Guatemala is a source, transit, and destination country for Guatemalans and Central Americans trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor“
- In 2005, cultivated 100 hectares of opium poppy after reemerging as a potential source of opium in 2004; potential production of less than 1 metric ton of pure heroin; marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem (CIA World Fact Book)
- The annual rainfall is 70 inches in the south to a whopping 200 inches in the north. Such rain is inconsistent with the type of fortifications mentioned in the Book of Mormon.
- The catastrophes that occurred at the time of Christ were “never known before,” which excludes volcanoes, violent earthquakes, hurricanes, and tropical storms – all frequent occurrences in Guatemala and surrounding areas.
With these facts (and more), how can anyone confuse those fruits as being from a Promised Land? It is too late in the game to conceive of any nation other than the United States of America as fulfilling Book of Mormon prophecy, and to deny the obvious is to admit prejudice. We suggest Hauck abandon any idea of confirming Book of Mormon events in Guatemala and focus entirely on Mesoamerica or archaeology.
Until modelers respect all of the Internal Geography, they will only muddy the waters for new investigators to this holy book. As one person put it, to claim those petite South American Indians are kin in any way, shape, or form to the mighty men of the Book of Mormon is preposterous. The Iroquois (the current inhabitants of Book of Mormon lands when it came forth) and bone discoveries in Western New York are.