LIDAR Just DESTROYED Book of Mormon Geography? Dr. Simon Southerton Explains!
LIDAR technology has revolutionized archaeology by uncovering vast ancient cities hidden beneath the jungles of Mexico and Central America. For years, some LDS apologists have argued these discoveries strengthen the historical case for the Book of Mormon.
According to geneticist Dr. Simon Southerton, the evidence points in exactly the opposite direction.
In this episode, we examine Southerton's latest analysis of what recent LIDAR discoveries actually reveal about ancient Maya and Olmec civilizations—and why those discoveries create even greater challenges for traditional Book of Mormon geography.
Topics include:
* Joseph Smith's statements about the ruins of Palenque
* Why Kaminaljuyu no longer fits Book of Mormon timelines
* The discovery of much older Maya cities like Aguada Fénix
* The archaeological relationship between the Maya and the Olmec
* Why modern archaeology contradicts decades of LDS apologetic models
* DNA evidence and the question of Middle Eastern ancestry among the ancient Maya
If Dr. Southerton's conclusions are correct, LIDAR hasn't strengthened the case for the Book of Mormon—it has exposed even more reasons to question its historicity.
Original article/Facebook post by Dr. Simon Southerton:
[https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EYv44D2LA/](https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EYv44D2LA/)
If you enjoy thoughtful discussions on Mormonism, Church history, archaeology, apologetics, and current events affecting The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, be sure to subscribe to Mormon News Roundup for new videos every week.
#Mormon #BookOfMormon #LIDAR #Archaeology #SimonSoutherton #LDS #Mormonism #ExMormon #Maya #Olmec #Apologetics #ChurchHistory
Please consider making a donation by joining our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/MormonNewsRoundup
Email: kolob@mormonnewsroundup.org
Website: https://mormonnewsroundup.org/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonnewsroundup
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormon_news_roundup/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dives.lazarus/
X: https://twitter.com/NewsMormon
New episodes every night at 9:30 PM Eastern.
Please like and subscribe and hit the notifications bell. Remember remember, no unhallowed hand can stop this podcast from progressing!
The Mormon News Roundup is NOT affilated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.