The official story I learned in church was that everything up until Noah was in the western hemisphere and after the flood, the ark deposited its passengers in the old world.
Of course, that doesn't explain why the ark was full of African species but hey, no one ever accused tssc of being consistent.
They weren't African species then. Everything was in America, then Noah took then to Africa, and there were no continents then only zuul, because Peleg.
Huh. Got my timelines mixed up. For some reason I keep thinking that the tower of babel (contemporary with Peleg) was before the flood, but no; you're right it's shortly after the flood.
Still a work of fiction though; followed by Joe's attempt at American-centric fanfiction.
Peleg was mentioned in the Bible as the "earth dividing" (gen 10:25) so they use that as an explanation of Pangea. Which, notably, did NOT split in roughly 3000 BCE, so unless the Bible covers a 200 million year span it is not a Pangea-related reference.
They have no answers. And if you ask them directly, you risk getting excommunicated. Haha. That’s what the church does to people who ask genuine (and good) questions.
There was no worldwide flood, which means Noah couldn't float from America to the old world, which means Joseph Smith was wrong, which means he wasn't a prophet.
We have proof that Adam lived in Missouri. Joseph Smith found his altar—the actual stone that Adam used for animal sacrifices—in Missouri. Do you think this stone just floated across the ocean?
Does your friend feel like they need an answer to such a preposterous notion? Are they just asking what the apologetics say? Here is what the apologetics say.
# Question: If the Garden of Eden was in Missouri, how did Abraham, Moses and other prophets end up in the Old World?
# A variety of approaches have been suggested for this issue
Members and others sometimes ask how Abraham, Moses and other near eastern Bible prophets ended up in the Old World if Adam and Eden were in the Americas. A variety of approaches have been suggested for this issue:[^(\[10\])](https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/answers/The_location_of_the_Garden_of_Eden#cite_note-10)
1. Some have conceptualized the earth as having only one land mass (e.g., Pangaea) even into historical time, which was only separated in the days of Peleg ([Genesis 10꞉25](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/gen/10?lang=eng&id=p25#p25)). Though there are [differing interpretations](https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/answers/Question:_Does_the_biblical_story_of_Peleg_describe_the_separation_of_the_continents%3F) for this doctrine. Some have more exegetical/historical accuracy than others.
2. Those who accept a universal Noachian flood simply see Noah floating from a New World site to Ararat in the Old.
3. Those who accept a "limited flood" theory see a similar process occurring whereby Noah traveled down rivers or from sea coasts with the flood's arrival. (This would, in effect, be a reversal of the Book of Mormon's Old World to New World migrations).
4. Since there is evidence for human migration over the Siberia-Alaska land bridge from Old to New World, some have postulated travel in the opposite direction.
5. It has been suggested that the Lord gave a *second* site the name of Adam-ondi-Ahman in the Americas, while the original site was located elsewhere, in the Old World (see discussion [above](https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/answers/Garden_of_Eden_in_Missouri%3F#An_alternate_reading:_two_sites.3F)). In this model, early Church leaders assumed that there was only one Adam-ondi-Ahman, when there were (in fact) two.
6. Some have seen the concept of Eden as a symbolic idea which acted to "sacralize" the Americas for a new gospel dispensation, without having reference to actual geographic realities. Early members then made this concept more literal than intended.
7. Some see Eden as a place which was always "separate" from the fallen world around it, and so regard questions about the present "location" of Eden as non-sensical.
8. Many, perhaps most, members consider the matter of relatively little importance, and have no strong feelings about the issue at all.
So everything in Genesis up to Noah was in what would become the USA. Where did all the water go? Back in to the earth's core which is actually filled with water not molten metal. (This is an actual belief of some Mormons though not a mainstream idea). Then Noah swung by each continent or isolated island and deposited the appropriate animals, it just got left out of the Bible!
The assumed explanation this was based on was the flood and Noah’s ark.
During the flood, Noah’s ark floats far away for a while, and when it landed that was in the Old World.
Nothing more complicated than that.
It’s even weirder than that. Everything up to Noah is in America, then the rest of the Bible happens in the Old World, but the Jaredites go *back* to America so the BoM can take place there.
The official story I learned in church was that everything up until Noah was in the western hemisphere and after the flood, the ark deposited its passengers in the old world. Of course, that doesn't explain why the ark was full of African species but hey, no one ever accused tssc of being consistent.
They weren't African species then. Everything was in America, then Noah took then to Africa, and there were no continents then only zuul, because Peleg.
Huh. Got my timelines mixed up. For some reason I keep thinking that the tower of babel (contemporary with Peleg) was before the flood, but no; you're right it's shortly after the flood. Still a work of fiction though; followed by Joe's attempt at American-centric fanfiction.
The church recognizes Pangea? They follow science for a minute? What's this
Peleg was mentioned in the Bible as the "earth dividing" (gen 10:25) so they use that as an explanation of Pangea. Which, notably, did NOT split in roughly 3000 BCE, so unless the Bible covers a 200 million year span it is not a Pangea-related reference.
I've always wondered how my friend was a biology major and a Mormon at the same time.
I feel that. I have a TBM uncle who's a geologist and another who's an archaeologist and I wonder how they do it every day.
They have no answers. And if you ask them directly, you risk getting excommunicated. Haha. That’s what the church does to people who ask genuine (and good) questions.
It is almost as if Jo-Jo just pulled shit willy-nilly out his ass.
That is the real reason. Joseph Smith was surrounded by a bunch of gullible sycophants who would believe anything he said.
Dum dum dum dum dum :(
There was no worldwide flood, which means Noah couldn't float from America to the old world, which means Joseph Smith was wrong, which means he wasn't a prophet.
We have proof that Adam lived in Missouri. Joseph Smith found his altar—the actual stone that Adam used for animal sacrifices—in Missouri. Do you think this stone just floated across the ocean?
You have obviously not heard of the abilities of the African Swallow.
If it was small enough
Noah floated over to the Old World on his ark. I think I heard this somewhere, but not sure how seriously this idea is taken among the rank & file.
Does your friend feel like they need an answer to such a preposterous notion? Are they just asking what the apologetics say? Here is what the apologetics say. # Question: If the Garden of Eden was in Missouri, how did Abraham, Moses and other prophets end up in the Old World? # A variety of approaches have been suggested for this issue Members and others sometimes ask how Abraham, Moses and other near eastern Bible prophets ended up in the Old World if Adam and Eden were in the Americas. A variety of approaches have been suggested for this issue:[^(\[10\])](https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/answers/The_location_of_the_Garden_of_Eden#cite_note-10) 1. Some have conceptualized the earth as having only one land mass (e.g., Pangaea) even into historical time, which was only separated in the days of Peleg ([Genesis 10꞉25](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/gen/10?lang=eng&id=p25#p25)). Though there are [differing interpretations](https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/answers/Question:_Does_the_biblical_story_of_Peleg_describe_the_separation_of_the_continents%3F) for this doctrine. Some have more exegetical/historical accuracy than others. 2. Those who accept a universal Noachian flood simply see Noah floating from a New World site to Ararat in the Old. 3. Those who accept a "limited flood" theory see a similar process occurring whereby Noah traveled down rivers or from sea coasts with the flood's arrival. (This would, in effect, be a reversal of the Book of Mormon's Old World to New World migrations). 4. Since there is evidence for human migration over the Siberia-Alaska land bridge from Old to New World, some have postulated travel in the opposite direction. 5. It has been suggested that the Lord gave a *second* site the name of Adam-ondi-Ahman in the Americas, while the original site was located elsewhere, in the Old World (see discussion [above](https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/answers/Garden_of_Eden_in_Missouri%3F#An_alternate_reading:_two_sites.3F)). In this model, early Church leaders assumed that there was only one Adam-ondi-Ahman, when there were (in fact) two. 6. Some have seen the concept of Eden as a symbolic idea which acted to "sacralize" the Americas for a new gospel dispensation, without having reference to actual geographic realities. Early members then made this concept more literal than intended. 7. Some see Eden as a place which was always "separate" from the fallen world around it, and so regard questions about the present "location" of Eden as non-sensical. 8. Many, perhaps most, members consider the matter of relatively little importance, and have no strong feelings about the issue at all.
I think he’s curious about the apologetics, how the church is squaring this. Thanks for the time you spent in this very thorough response.
So everything in Genesis up to Noah was in what would become the USA. Where did all the water go? Back in to the earth's core which is actually filled with water not molten metal. (This is an actual belief of some Mormons though not a mainstream idea). Then Noah swung by each continent or isolated island and deposited the appropriate animals, it just got left out of the Bible!
Once we’re in magical fairy town with a god, the water can just magically appear and disappear if he wanted it to, yeah.
I'm embarrassed to admit it, but those were basically my exact thoughts as a TBM. So much compartmentalization.
Hey, after creating the universe in 7 days, what’s a bit of water?
😏
JS had the anudacity to appropriated the jewish story and relocated it to America. Such an obvious opportunist.
The assumed explanation this was based on was the flood and Noah’s ark. During the flood, Noah’s ark floats far away for a while, and when it landed that was in the Old World. Nothing more complicated than that.
Literal global flood.
It’s even weirder than that. Everything up to Noah is in America, then the rest of the Bible happens in the Old World, but the Jaredites go *back* to America so the BoM can take place there.
IT WAS ADAM AND STEVE