The White God In America 
remember the amazement that I had on the University in the course of American history, when the teacher taught that Cortes was revered as the God Blanco visited the Americas and promised to return, and most shocking was that Cortez appeared on the day in the Aztec calendar said it would return. I immediately saw the connection with the Book of Mormon.
Not all legends have some relationship with the Book of Mormon, as some of them the English misrepresented the for their own purposes. In addition, some Native Americans were able to use the legends of the White God to impress their new masters. That is why critics accuse: "Why there is no scrap of evidence to support the Book of Mormon?". They respond with the most important evidence of all: a possible visit of Christ to America, preserved in the legends of Mesoamerica, the area of \u200b\u200bthe Book of Mormon.
While some legends have been given a English tinge, there is reason to believe that pre-Columbian Mesoamerican peoples legends were consistent with some key ideas of the Book of Mormon. Caution should be exercised the interpretation of these myths by accusing the English influence to possibly increase the desire of indigenous people to accept Christianity. In addition, you are faced with the possibility of reference Mesoamerican Quetzalcoatl as the god Quetzalcoatl, or a faithful follower of Quetzalcoatl or Quetzalcoatl Ce Topiltzin Acatl, the cultural hero. But taking precautions, I think it's worth revisiting the legends and traditions of Mesoamerica as interim witness the visit of Christ and the existence of the Gospel among the ancient inhabitants of Mesoamerica. Diane E.
Wirth in "The Bearded, White God Is Everywhere - or Is He?" FARMS Review of Books , vol. 12, no. 1, 2000, pp. 9-22, writes (citing pages 12-13):
While it is true that the original legend has a "screen" the myth of "return" can derive from an original and genuine belief among the natives. One of its main supporters is David Carrasco of Princeton University. Carrasco writes, "There are references in primary sources about the expected return of Quetzalcoatl .... These references strongly suggest that the belief in the return of Quetzalcoatl was an attitude pre-Columbian and not, as some have suggested, invented by English. " [David Carrasco, Quetzalcoatl and the Irony of Empire: Myths and Prophecies in the Aztec Tradition (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1982), 192. See page 192 and following to the arguments and sources of Carrasco.] However, no difference whether the stories concern the return of the god Quetzalcoatl or Ce Acati Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl - the great cultural hero? Indirectly, no. Mesoamerican community for the past, present, and future are intertwined . Rituals often dramatized with the express purpose of including events that occurred in the past. A good example of this mentality is recorded in the Annals of Cuauhtitlan , which were originally written in native language and history were recorded in pre-Cortez del Valle de Mexico. [See John Bierhorst, trans., History and Mythology of the Aztecs: The Codex Chimalpopoca (Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1992). 10. See ibid., P. 36.] The Annals biography have Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl the culture hero who, according to this account, lived from 817-95. At his death Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl miraculously became a star, the Lord of Dawn - became what we call the planet Venus. It was at that time it descended into the world of the dead. [ ibid. , p. 36] It is only a repetition of what was said that their god Quetzalcoatl had made so the storytellers were able to transmit los hechos del pasado al presente. Se muestra a la deidad Quetzalcoatl claramente en los códices como el planeta Venus y como el dios que descendió al reino de los muertos. Es cierto que no se puede saber con total certeza si el relato del regreso de Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl también se refiera a la deidad Quetzalcoatl, pero existe una alta probabilidad de que así lo sea.
Más recientemente, Diane Wirth hizo un detallado análisis de las posibles relaciones entre Quetzalcoatl y Jesucristo en su artículo "
Quetzalcoatl, the Maya Maize God, and Jesus Christ " en
Journal of Book of Mormon Studies , Vol. 11, No. 1, 2002, tambien disponible en
formato PDF o en
text format.
Some scholars of Mesoamerica, Quetzalcoatl and topics associated with the resurrection, as John Sorenson explains Images of Ancient America: Visualizing Book of Mormon Life (Provo, Utah: Research Press, 1998, p. 230):
The most popular treatment is saving interpretation of Sejourne, Burning in Water: Thought and Religion in Ancient Mexico (Berkeley: Shambhala, 1976) who sees a god Quetzalcoatl in the worship of the resurrection which is mostly visible in Teotihuacan. Michel Graulich insists that elements of the Mexican myth that have been considered fruits of the English influence Christian, representing pre-Columbian beliefs (see his article "Afterlife in Ancient Mexican Thought," in Circum, Band I: Mittel-und Südamerika, Festschrift für Thomas S. Bartel , ed. Ilius Bruno and Matthias Laubscher [Frankfurt, Peter Lang, 1990], 165-88). Maintains that the sources, when properly read, speak of a couple living in paradise from which they were expelled because of transgression. Were rescued from the appalling state of self-sacrifice of the god Quetzalcoatl, or his or her twin, and this allows them to escape the underworld and provides them with an understanding by which men and women who emulate their qualities, they can reach paradise lost.
should not forget that you really understand what ancient people believed it is very difficult, especially when dealing with Ancient America where there is still little written documentation. Brant Gardner, LDS scholar, has examined the Quetzalcoatl legends and sources of deep and warns that caution should be taken to understand any connection with the Book of Mormon, because of changes and interpolations of the English. Even the "target" of the legend of the Great White God may be due to our cultural perspective and think longingly to apply it to the Indian legends.
Despite the uncertainty, SUD several writers suggest that there are still some elements that may be of interest to the Book of Mormon. Wallace E. Hunt, Jr., in "Moses' Brazen Serpent as It Relates To Serpent Worship in Mesoamerica" \u200b\u200b( FARMS Journal of Book of Mormon Studies , vol. 2, no. 2, 1993, p. 122) notes the presence of evidence Quetzalcoatl linking to a being like Christ (evidence to be taken with caution, preferably after reading the writings of Gardener cited above). According to Hunt,
Although the origin of Quetzalcoatl is blurred in the dark legends, few pre-Columbian documents currently available, and first after the conquest documents contain a wealth of material of this ancient and revered god. These accounts are contradictory and very widely in the attributes of God and how he loved undoubtedly due to a millennium of digressions from the original concept of the end of the Book of Mormon at the time of the conquest. However, despite all this labyrinth, we found that consistently invested Mesoamerican Quetzalcoatl with many attributes of Christ, some of which are listed below:
- Quetzalcoatl was the creator of life. [1]
- Quetzalcoatl taught virtue. [2]
- Quetzalcoatl was the greatest lord of all. [3]
- Quetzalcoatl was "Long beard and the features of a white man." [4]
- The Mesoamerican believed that Quetzalcoatl would return. [5] citadsa by Hunt References:
1. Roberta H. Markman and Peter Markman, The Flayed God : The Mesoamerican Mythological Tradition (San Francisco: Harper, 1992), 32, see also Delia Goetz and Sylvanus G. Morley, trans., Popol Vuh (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1975), p. 83.
2. Charles Gallenkamp, \u200b\u200bThe Riddle and Rediscovery of a Lost Civilization: Maya , 3d ed. (New York: Penguin, 1987), p. 166.
3. David Carrasco, Quetzalcoatl and the Irony of Empire (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1992), p. 43.
4. TA Willard, Kukulcan : The Bearded Conqueror (Los Angeles: Murray and Gee, 1941), p. 159.
5. Bernal Diaz, The Conquest of New Spain, trans. JM Cohen (London: Penguin, 1963), see also Carrasco, Quetzalcoatl and the Irony of Empire , p. 48, and Brian M. Fagan, Kingdoms of Gold, Kingdoms of Jade (New York: Thames and Hudson, 1991), p. 37, and Adrian Recinos and Delia Goetz, The Annals of the Cakchizuels (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma, 1953), p. 40.
If these connections are correct, the Hunt's analysis of the feathered serpent as a symbol of Quetzalcoatl in Mesoamerica may be of particular interest. Hunt suggests that this symbol can be associated with the Old Testament story of the bronze serpent that Moses, which allowed the Israelites to be healed of the poisonous bites of the fiery serpents that was between them (Numbers 21:6-9, where apparently these snakes were found near or Valley of the Arabah Arabah between Sinai and Israel). The Book of Mormon says they were "flying fiery serpents" in 1 Nephi 17:41, a claim that appears to be supported in the biblical text (see also Alma 33:19-21). No But the words of Isaias "flying fiery serpents" in Isaiah 14:29 and 30:6 suggests that it may be what the Israelites were in the desert (although references to such creatures of Isaiah are not in the context of the Exodus) . numerous extra-biblical texts point to an ancient tradition that snakes that plagued the Israelites were snakes, "flying." To quote again Hunt (p. 128-129):
This use of the term flying in connection with the brazen serpent of Moses is indirectly supported by numerous works of modern scholars. For example, Karen Joines noted in his exhaustive study on the subject that the Hebrew word for snake used in Numbers "can be attributed wings." [6]. . . Henry also suggests that snakes, "flying to their faces and empozoñaban." [7] addition, there are isolated reports of winged snakes in this area of \u200b\u200bdesert. Joines quoted Herodotus into believing that "the desert was a refuge for flying snakes." [8] Bush, but does not give credit to the concept, agrees that "the popular idea for some reason invests these snakes with wings... [And] it is assumed that flying gave him the epithet of their power to jump at a distance to go from tree to tree. " [9] Maybe the analysis is the most significant Auerbach: snake "Not only placed it on the pole, is sufficiently designate makkel or simply 'is . Rather, it was associated with the' neck." [10] In this way, the snake would appear as a flag as if flying. [11] If indeed Moses had set his brazen serpent and placed perpendicular to the pole, comply fully with the description "flying fiery serpent."
Thus Nephi's use of the term flying (and most likely be used by other leaders of the Book of Mormon) would have moved to the religious beliefs of the Mesoamerican late as found in Mesoamerica flying uses of the term related to the representations of their god as a snake. For example, Carrasco refers to the Mixtec source contains stories in which concerns such as the calendar name Quetzalcoatl "9 Ehecatl" or "flying serpent." [12] Nicholson reported that the Otomi (contemporaries of the Aztec, Otomi language being second in importance after the Nahuatl), in one of their ceremonies in honor of Quetzalcoatl, attributed antazhoni word, meaning "Great Flying," Quetzalcoatl. [13]
references cited by Hunt:
6. Karen R. Joines, Serpent Symbolism in the Old Testament (Haddonfield, NJ: Haddonfield House, 1974), p. 8. Sturdy also indicates that the word is often translated com "flying serpents", John Sturdy, Numbers (Cambridge, England: Cambridge University, 1976), p. 148.
7. Matthew Henry, An Exposition of the Old and New Testament , 4 vols. (New York: Carter & amp; amp; Bros., 1853), 1:543.
8. Joines, Serpent Symbolism in the Old Testament , 44.
9. George Bush, Notes, Critical and Practical, on the Book of Numbers (Oxford: Oxford University, 1868), p. 313.
10. Elias Auerbach, Moses , translation Barchay and Israel Robert Lehman (Detroit: Wayne State University, 1975), p. 137. Bush, Notes, Critical and Practical, on the Book of Numbers , p. 316, also reaches the same conclusion. States that "properly means the flagpole."
11. Consistent with this concept were the words of Maya prophet Chilam Balam of Mani: "God raised wood .... Our Lord comes again, Itza! Comes our older brothers, O men of Tantun. Receive your guests, men Barbados, the men from the east, the bearers of the sign from God, Lord, Ralph L. Roys, The Book of the Chilam Balam of Chumayel (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1967), p. 167-68.
12. Carrasco, Quetzalcoatl and the Irony of Empire , 28; alsotambién, Sylvanus G. George W. Morley Brainerd, The Ancient Maya , 4th ed. (Stanford: Stanford University, 1983), p. 470, suggest that the two names may refer to the same God.
13. Henry B. Nicholson, "Religion in Pre-Hispanic Central Mexico," in Gordon F. Ekholm and Ignacio Bernal, eds., Handbook of Middle American Indians , 15 vols. (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1964-76), 10: Table 4, Example 4.
The purpose is not to find out if the snakes can really fly, but is it plausible for ancient Hebrew prophet in the time Nephi speak of fiery serpents "flying" instead of fiery serpents are known in the Bible. It is not known what the source of the term "flying", perhaps someone used the term "flying" snakes because snakes were crawling through the trees or cobras with flaps of skin along the lines of "wings" to keep them upright would simulate (after all there are cobras in Egypt), or perhaps the word "flying" was due to some dark twist on a Hebrew word or even a late misunderstanding, or the consequence of the creation legend of the brazen serpent by Moses in a pole. Regardless of its meaning, the fact is that there ancient traditions that support the ancient Hebrew has used the word "flying" leg modify "fiery serpents" found by the Hebrews as they wandered through the desert. The village was bitten, but God in His mercy provided a miracle cure that also served as a powerful teaching tool.
Some critics have laughed out loud about the "fiery flying serpent" mentioned in the Book of Mormon. "Am I supposed to believe that God created some flying creatures like fire-breathing dragons? How anyone in their right mind would accept such a story?" A more reasonable question seldom answered by the critics, is "What could it mean I dont really text?" It has been speculated that snakes arbolícolas could be seen and described as flying snakes and that idea became more interesting when you learn that there are snakes arbolícolas flying in Asia. While certainly not the same as those described in Exodus, its existence proves the so-called "flying snakes" are possible. You can find basic information about these creatures with pictures of snakes in flight:
These flying snakes do not live in the world where were the Israelites. There are some flying snakes in the western coast of India (can not rule out the remote possibility that a related species of snakes may have been equipped with aerodynamic Middle East). Better known for flying snakes, are not poisonous enough to kill a person. More than arbolícolas snakes, a more likely candidate for the flying fiery serpents of 1 Nephi could be a member of the family of the killer saw scale viper, according to Ronald P. Millett and John P. Pratt, "What Fiery Flying Serpent Symbolized Christ? ," Meridian Magazine, Aug. 9, 2001, online at http://www.meridianmagazine.com/sci_rel/000609serpent.html . The saw scale vipers live in the region of Israel and are known to kill humans with a slow acting poison, have a hot bite and attack so quickly which are said to be "flying", may jump when they attack, and even are red that could be represented by a bronze serpent. As the authors note, "a Bible dictionary explains the word" flying "is still used in modern Arabic for" referring the speed with which these reptiles attack. "[New Bible Dictionary ," Serpent, "Tyndall House, 1982 , p. 1091] (A cobras they are represented in ancient Egyptian art with wings. You can see an example on the web, Animals and the Gods of Ancient Egypt by Caroline Seawright , which shows a statue of Wadjet , the cobra goddess, like a cobra with wings and human head.) |
If Joseph Smith had invented the Book of Mormon, had been mad to take the idea that snakes that afflicted the Israelites were snakes, "flying", but this added to the text of the Book of Mormon support several ancient sources, providing further evidence that the Book of Mormon is an authentic text, and also shows a possible source for the widespread use of feathered serpents (or flying) as a symbol of the great God, as the serpent on the pole that Moses did as a symbol of healing power and the Atonement of Christ. And if the legends
Aztecs, Maya and other pre-Columbian peoples really relate the visit of Jesus, did not expect vestiges of Christian rituals that have endured despite the great apostasy and persecution described in the Book of Mormon between 300 and 400 AD? A remnant may be the baptism of older children, as you are I discussed in
Questions about LDS Baptism. Mayan rituals discovered by the English included concepts of being born again, purified and prepared for the afterlife, repentance of sins, confession to a priest, a symbol of white clothes, and be called by a name which means "the offspring of God "" These remarkable parallels with the teachings of Book of Mormon may be due to the teachings of baptism that Christ gave to His people in the Americas, where they ministered after his resurrection (see 3 Nephi 11).
Other scholars find parallels between Mesoamerican traditions and Jesus Christ without regard to the Mormon connection, but it is interesting to have this kind of considerations. An interesting example and consider worth reading is the article by Bruce Lane, "The Making of 'The Tree Of Life,'" in
Quaker Theology, Vol 4, No. 2, Issue 7, Autumn 2002, available at
http://www.quaker.org/quest/issue7-4-lane04.htm , which notes interesting parallels between traditions Mesoamerican and Jesus Christ. Within its project of making a film about a highly symbolic ritual of "Flying" that consists of men hanging from the great tree of life as they spin in a circle. Details are given in
http://www.docfilm.com/quakers/makingTOL.html . The following quote from Bruce Lane are both websites mentioned:
English priests brought statues of a bearded white god up in a wooden symbol of the four winds. Totonacs said that this god had sacrificed so they do not need to do more human sacrifices and accept him as their god instead of others. Because Quetzalcoatl, represented as white and bearded, had prophesied his return in the year Cortes arrived, my guess is that the Totonac identified the image of Christ as a white bearded Quetzalcoatl . There may be no way to prove or disprove this hypothesis, but there is circumstantial evidence. The model of the Flying of Huehuetla is San Salvador, the Risen Christ - logical manifestation of the return of Quetzalcoatl. And since Cortes and his men claimed to be followers of Quetzalcoatl , would make sense for the Flyers dress in Europe. Similarly, the Flowering Tree could easily identify with the Tree of Life, the tree of the four directions to which the second Quetzalcoatl be nailed. This explanation seems to relate to the symbolic transformations in the ritual of Flying . Finally, and perhaps strangest of all, Christ was indeed the perfect answer to the problem Mesoamerican mythology: the god who was sacrificed to end all sacrifices.
addition to explaining the ritual Volador ritual for me this interpretation created by me first time a sense outside the other hand disconcerting central idea of \u200b\u200bChristian theology: that Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of mankind. But it also raises new questions I'm trying to answer. How could a theology born in the Middle "solve" a mythical problem in the other hemisphere of the world? Discarding Mormon fantasy of a lost tribe , surely the answer must reside in a foreign conception of the role of human sacrifice in the development of human societies. Why was human sacrifice as widespread and why it seems to happen in ancient agricultural societies?
The author, despite the impressive bibliography and extensive research on Mesoamerican traditions for their project to film the movie, dismissed the possible relationship between the Book of Mormon and Mesoamerican legends. Such relationships may not be as widespread as I would like and perhaps some aspects of the subject have been treated with sensationalism in the past or are accidental products of English influence. But still, there is a real possibility of a real connection between the Book of Mormon and the ancient legends of Quetzalcoatl and other figures like Christ in ancient America.
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