Promised Land

The Book of Mormon describes the founding of America, and the land of Zion. Many anti-Mormon groups use this as evidence to support that Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon. They claim that he was influenced by the social environment of that day to write about his great country “America” in The Book of Mormon. There is no way around it Joseph Smith was in an era were patriotism valued. The man (Joseph Smith) even ran for president. He obviously had some national pride, but that is not the issue we are addressing.
What needs to be looked at is specifically is how The Book of Mormon addresses the American revolution. There are very few verse on the manner, but the one verse that I would like to focus on is in 1 Nephi 13 verses 14.
“And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the Gentiles upon the land of promise;”
The land of promise; Don’t simply assume Joseph Smith felt America was superior to all other lands. The Old and New Testament calls Jerusalem a “the promised land’. Jews following the Koran also believe that Jerusalem is holy. Buddhists have Theravada the school of elders, a land of promised knowledge. Mecca is a holy place for the Islamic faith. In India there is Vaishno Devi a holy cave shrine to Mata. Even in Ireland the have the Blarney stone; if you kiss the stone you are promised to have the gift of speech. All of this points to the idea that there are many areas throughout the world that are promised. In all periods of history religions across the world have promised lands. It is a rather vague term.
Fortunately Ether clarifies what Nephi meant when he referred to America as the promised land in ether chapter 2 verse 9 it reads, “And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fullness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fullness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity.” Summed up America’s promise is that the people are good they will have prosperity, but if not they shall be swept off the face of the earth by the full wrath of God.
According to the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson the American promise is “that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” This promise has a little different of a connotation; God created people equal, and we try to allow that in America by promising Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
It is true both promises mention God, but one talks about democracy and God giving equality while the other describes God destroying and blessing his people. When Jefferson wrote his promise he was addressing the King of England, and attempting to prove that all citizens deserved privileges. Compared to Nephi and Ether who were compiling a book of records for their future generations. The audience does not simply give them different voice but revels what they valued.
Nephi and Ether did not value the same ideals as Jefferson, because they were from a different generation than Jefferson. What they wanted people to understand was that if you do not listen to God he will destroy you. Jefferson focused seems to be making an ethos argument, proving his credibility as a citizen to have life, liberty, and the permute of happiness. Can we agree that they are two different promises? To different people? From different people? With different perspectives?
Yes, The Book of Mormon refers to America as the promised land, but not in the modern connotation of the phrase. Joseph Smith was translating and ancient text, and therefore the values and ideals were from an ancient author. Read all you want from the internet from who knows who about the Book of Mormon, and you wont understand it. I would recommend picking up the book and just reading it for yourself. Get to the direct source of all the disputes against and for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and just read the few hundred pages instead of browsing the internet Googling questions and researching credible authors.