Michael Coe on Mormon archaeology: out of date?

[_beastie]

As far as I know I'm not banned, but I deliberately changed my password to gobbledygook so I won't be tempted to sign on and post.

[_guy sajer]

Irondukesteve began a thread over on the mad-board with this question and accompanying poll:

How does everyone feel about New World Research into the Book of Mormon. Personally I have not been very fond of it as it seems so speculative and I much more prefer sticking to correlating 1st and 2nd Nephi with Old World Geography/Theology.

What do you think?

Asciiker then responded:

Praiseworthy if done for the benefit of improving our knowledge in that area, but if only to be done to support the Book of Mormon's position...then don't expect too much fruit from the effort.

He then quoted Michael Coe:

“In conclusion, an outside observer like myself would make these suggestions. Forget the so-far fruitless quest for the Jaredites, Nephites, Mulekites, and the lands of Zarahemla and Bountiful: there is no more chance of finding them than of discovering the ruins of the bottomless pit described in the book of Revelations. It has been Hugh Nibley himself, the Mormon philosopher and historian, who has pointed out the futility of such endeavors (An Approach to the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1957). Continue the praiseworthy excavations in Mexico, remembering that little or nothing pertaining to the Book of Mormon will ever result from them…”
*Coe, Michael, "Mormons and Archaeology: An Outside View," (Volume 8, Number 2, Summer 1973): p. 48

Then, Daniel Peterson responded with this:

Michael Coe's 1973 opinion was published quite a long while before John Sorenson's work appeared, roughly around the time that John Clark graduated from high school, several years before even the humble beginnings of FARMS, etc.

It's thirty-four years old. It may or may not have reflected good information then; it's certainly not the definitive latest word now.

So, a question for the board here: Does Coe’s 1973 opinion still hold water? What exactly is “the definitive latest word now” on the archaeology of Mesoamerica? Has John Sorenson’s work since 1973 "turned the tables" on what was once considered the fruitlessness of “Mormon archaeology?” What specific works by John Sorenson is Daniel Peterson referring to?

And in which peer-reviewed scholarly journal did Sorenson publish his research?

Yeah, that's what I thought.

[_Bond...James Bond]

As far as I know I'm not banned, but I deliberately changed my password to gobbledygook so I won't be tempted to sign on and post.

You're not banned. As far as I know they have never banned anyone with pundit status.

[_SatanWasSetUp]

As far as I know I'm not banned, but I deliberately changed my password to gobbledygook so I won't be tempted to sign on and post.

I did the exact same thing about a year ago. It was the only way I could get myself off FAIR/MAD. There is just so much craziness that needs to be countered, but I've learned it's futile. You were a real thorn in their sides.

[_truth dancer]

personal judgment -- and I'm not alone on this -- is that the evidentiary status of the Book of Mormon has improved considerably since Michael Coe's article was published thirty-four years ago, in general and with respect to Mesoamerica in particular.

I would ask again....

Please name one non-LDS scientist of any type who believes there is Mesoamerican archaeology that supports the Book of Mormon.

:-(

~dancer~

[_harmony]

Here are DCP's comments from the fittingly named MADboard:

We are First Nations, we were here for many millenia even before the supposed occurances of the Book of Mormon. Our many languages and dialects demonstrate the antiquity of our societies. Unfortunately, the Book of Mormon account does not reconcile with any of this.

Some of us think otherwise.

Holy sheep shorts, Batman! What arrogance! What hubris! "Some of us think otherwise"? Geez O'Criminently! Talk about taking the BYU attitude to the limits. Who the heck is he to tell someone else who they are!? And he wonders why he gets no respect in certain paradigms.