Ephraim, UT

[Goose]

I used to be a Geography nut and I like to read maps. I was looking at the state of Utah and noticed that smack dab in the middle of the state, is a town called Ephraim. Usually, when an area is planned out, there is some spiritual or deep significance given to the middle of the area. Do Mormon's, or Utahnians in general, think they're from the tribe of Ephraim or something?

[Goose]

Anyone?

[Raptor]

I'm not a mormon, or from Utah. But couldn't the name simply be from the founder of the town? I'm not sure about the name, but prehaps it was more common (first or last name) around the time of settlement. One can think of any number of possibilites for a name that don't involve a state being predominantly mormon. Just my two cents.

[Raptor]

Actually, according to this,

http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genealogyInfo.php?locIndex=25849

It is named for the tribe of Israel. :shrug: It doesn't say why, or who did it.

[Trout]

I used to be a Geography nut and I like to read maps. I was looking at the state of Utah and noticed that smack dab in the middle of the state, is a town called Ephraim. Usually, when an area is planned out, there is some spiritual or deep significance given to the middle of the area. Do Mormon's, or Utahnians in general, think they're from the tribe of Ephraim or something?

Greetings Goose,

According to LDS (Latter Day Saint) doctrine, the American indians are the descendants of the nation Israel (http://theologyweb.com/article/Book_of_Mormon_Overview)

The Jaredites (Book of Ether) came to the new world (Somewhere in the Americas) at the time of the tower of Babel. They were instructed to build eight barges in which to sail to America. This journey took three hundred and forty four days. After years of occupying the land and numbering in the millions, their civilization was destroyed by war. The last survivor, Coriantumr, was found by the Mulekites sometime before 200 B.C.

The Mulekites came to America from Jerusalem in 586 B.C. They were led by the last living son of Zedekiah, Mulek. Although they lived in America during the same period as the Nephites and Lamanites, they did not encounter them until around 200 B.C. They then became amalgamated with the Nephites.

he two main groups in the Book of Mormon are the Nephites and Lamanites. The story tells of a family group led by an Israelite prophet named Lehi. He is warned by God to flee Jerusalem at 600 B.C. He and his family make their way to the southern part of Arabia where they build a ship to sail across the Pacific Ocean to America. Two of his sons, Nephi and Laman struggle for leadership. This leads to the division of the group into two warring factions, the Nephites (usually the good guys) and Lamanites (usually the bad guys).

The last battle between the two groups, in 421 AD, wipes out almost all of the Nephites. Moroni, the last surviving Nephite, buries the records of his civilization in the hill Cumorah. Hundreds of years later, Joseph Smith is directed to the spot by Moroni (some records say Nephi), now a resurrected being who has become an angel.

The LDS believe that the various Indian tribes in North America are the actual descendants of the Lamanites.

And being that most of Utah was settled originally by the LDS, there are many town names that have their origin in the Book of Mormon and the Bible.

[Goose]

Well hey. What can you say to that. Thanks for the info, Troutk13.

[truthman]

And being that most of Utah was settled originally by the LDS, there are many town names that have their origin in the Book of Mormon and the Bible.Some of those towns are called Lehi, Nephi and Moroni.

Imagine that, towns named after fictional characters/tribes! That'd be like me naming a town Bilbo, Gandalf or Aragorn.

truthman

[Goose]

If they are supposed to be Israelite tribes, they could at least make them sound Israeli. Are most Mormons fictional writers or something? I heard Joseph Smith was into Masonry and the like. Seems like that has something to do with it all.

[Timothy Leary]

Most Mormons in their 'patriarchal blessings' are told that they are of such-and-such a tribe, generally Ephraim.

As to the town, I'd avoid it during hunting season. There are lots of drunkards.

[Darth_Bill]

>The LDS believe that the various Indian tribes in North America are the actual descendants of the Lamanites.

Actually, some may have this impression, but usually it is expressed in geopolitical ways. Many LDS hold that the people in the BOM inhabited a very small portion of central america and that the BOM contains a family history rather than a hemespheric model. Some LDS don't really care.

>If they are supposed to be Israelite tribes, they could at least make them sound Israeli.

No the names aren't necessarily second temple names bu they do have elements of semetic roots. Actually, they have done studies and found that many of the names are more egyptian in character.

>Are most Mormons fictional writers or something?

I don't know. Are most christians fictional writers? "They" make some fantastic claims too. Get over it. It is religion. Who says it has to make sense.

[Trout]

Trout:
The LDS believe that the various Indian tribes in North America are the actual descendants of the Lamanites.

Darth Bill:
Actually, some may have this impression, but usually it is expressed in geopolitical ways. Many LDS hold that the people in the BOM inhabited a very small portion of central america and that the BOM contains a family history rather than a hemespheric model. Some LDS don't really care.

Forgive me Darth Bill, I'm just going by 150 years of church teaching. I realize with the advent of DNA science, the LDS church has to back off their traditional claims.

[Bill the Cat]

>The LDS believe that the various Indian tribes in North America are the actual descendants of the Lamanites.

Actually, some may have this impression, but usually it is expressed in geopolitical ways. Many LDS hold that the people in the BOM inhabited a very small portion of central america and that the BOM contains a family history rather than a hemespheric model. Some LDS don't really care.

>If they are supposed to be Israelite tribes, they could at least make them sound Israeli.

No the names aren't necessarily second temple names bu they do have elements of semetic roots. Actually, they have done studies and found that many of the names are more egyptian in character.

>Are most Mormons fictional writers or something?

I don't know. Are most christians fictional writers? "They" make some fantastic claims too. Get over it. It is religion. Who says it has to make sense.

Darth, are you a theist?

:btc:

[just Johnna]

Minor points, for you collectors of trivia:


The Mulekites came to America from Jerusalem in 586 B.C. They were led by the last living son of Zedekiah, Mulek.

Close readers of the Book of Mormon know it does not contain the term "Mulekites," though we know people use the word for the people of Zarahemla before the Nephites move in and take over.


The LDS believe that the various Indian tribes in North America are the actual descendants of the Lamanites.

...Unless they were reading Nibley in the 1980s. And Nephites/Lamanites were of the tribe of Manassah, for what it's worth.


Ephraim's the birthright tribe. That has something to do with so many being of Ephraim/adopted into Ephraim.

Johnna, your mormon jello girl.

[Trout]

Minor points, for you collectors of trivia:



Close readers of the Book of Mormon know it does not contain the term "Mulekites," though we know people use the word for the people of Zarahemla before the Nephites move in and take over.



...Unless they were reading Nibley in the 1980s. And Nephites/Lamanites were of the tribe of Manassah, for what it's worth.


Ephraim's the birthright tribe. That has something to do with so many being of Ephraim/adopted into Ephraim.

Johnna, your mormon jello girl.


Thanks Johnna,

That clears it up a little.

And :flowers: welcome to Tweb.