How did man move from the Garden of Eden (Missouri) to Mesopotamia (Middle East)?

[ThatLDSKiD]

After Adam and Eve transgressed they were kicked out of the Garden of Eden, which is located in Jackson County, Missouri. They later settled in the Adam-ondi-Ahman Valley, which is also in Missouri...so how did man reach all the way from America to Africa and the Middle East?

At first I thought that maybe it was because after the Flood Noah settled in the Middle East and civilizations began to develop again, but then I remembered that Noah was already in Israel (I think, but could be wrong). Which brings me back to my question:

How did man get from America to the Middle East?:confused:

[livy111us]

According to religious tradition, this was prior to the division of continents when there was only one landmass. This would make a trek to what is now the other side of the earth, much easier.

[Casper]

I believe it was during the Flood, I don’t know of anything that says Noah was in the Middle East; I also don’t believe there is any scripture that will say what continent Noah was on before the Flood. This would leave open the possibility precisely mentioned that they may have walked.

[RadDad]

they walked

[Traveler]

According to religious tradition, this was prior to the division of continents when there was only one landmass. This would make a trek to what is now the other side of the earth, much easier.

According to everything I understand and believe - this was not an ancient tradition but a modern interpretation and misunderstanding of the ancient tradition. It is my understanding that man (the world of man) had one language and was divided following the collapse of Babel.

Noah was moved during the flood.

The Traveler

[Vort]

According to everything I understand and believe - this was not an ancient tradition but a modern interpretation and misunderstanding of the ancient tradition. It is my understanding that man (the world of man) had one language and was divided following the collapse of Babel.

Agreed. The division of the world in the days of Peleg was traditionally understood to mean a political division, as in, "In the days of Peleg they divided up the world." Only with the advent of the theories of continental drift did anyone get the bright idea to apply that ancient wording to the very modern concept of land masses separating.

The time frame is all wrong, anyway. The continents have not all been interconnected since very, very long before any hominids were found on this planet.

[Seminarysnoozer]

After Adam and Eve transgressed they were kicked out of the Garden of Eden, which is located in Jackson County, Missouri. They later settled in the Adam-ondi-Ahman Valley, which is also in Missouri...so how did man reach all the way from America to Africa and the Middle East?

At first I thought that maybe it was because after the Flood Noah settled in the Middle East and civilizations began to develop again, but then I remembered that Noah was already in Israel (I think, but could be wrong). Which brings me back to my question:

How did man get from America to the Middle East?:confused:

We are talking about the story of creation which by and far is more amazing and wonderful than how someone travels around. If you really believe in the story of creation I don't think it is hard to understand that God could place Adam and Eve wherever in the world after being "kicked out". A movement from one place to another is less amazing.

That is like interviewing someone about climbing mount Everest and you wonder if they started with their left or right foot, it's a minor part of the story that really doesn't matter.

I think it is okay to wonder, but please don't let that cause any detraction from the purpose of the story. ... and realize, likely, you and probably everyone will only learn this information after this life is over.

[Blackmarch]

According to religious tradition, this was prior to the division of continents when there was only one landmass. This would make a trek to what is now the other side of the earth, much easier.

that or Noah.

[livy111us]

According to everything I understand and believe - this was not an ancient tradition but a modern interpretation and misunderstanding of the ancient tradition. It is my understanding that man (the world of man) had one language and was divided following the collapse of Babel.

Noah was moved during the flood.

The Traveler

I made sure to word my post carefully and said "tradition" instead of "I believe". I agree with all the comments that were made about my post, and believe this originated with Joseph Smith (In the days of Peleg...). I'm not going to argue whether he was right or not, but D/C 133: 22-24 says

And it shall be a voice as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, which shall break down the mountains, and the valleys shall not be found.

23He shall command the great deep, and it shall be driven back into the north countries, and the islands shall become one land;

24And the land of Jerusalem and the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like as it was in the days before it was divided.

This correlates a literal definition of "one land" with the earth before it was "divided." Scripturally speaking, it is a possibility. But, I really don't care one way or the other.

[mightynancy]

Or in other happy words, it makes sense if you don't really think about it!

Any belief that can't tolerate scrutiny is shaky. For me to maintain any faith, I have to believe that a lot of ancient scripture is allegorical. Trying to impose ill-wrought science onto these stories makes them less believeable, not more. We can't totally overcome logic, and there are indeed questions like the one in the OP that could use an answer. This is where assigning physical locations to allegorical stories becomes problematic. Darn that DNA and geological evidence!

The pertinent theological questions are about how the stories help individuals become better/holier/more in tune with God, so in that case I understand that "it doesn't matter."

[mightynancy]

Or in other happy words, it makes sense if you don't really think about it!

Any belief that can't tolerate scrutiny is shaky. For me to maintain any faith, I have to believe that a lot of ancient scripture is allegorical. Trying to impose ill-wrought science onto these stories makes them less believeable, not more. We can't totally overcome logic, and there are indeed questions like the one in the OP that could use an answer. This is where assigning physical locations to allegorical stories becomes problematic. Darn that DNA and geological evidence!

The pertinent theological questions are about how the stories help individuals become better/holier/more in tune with God, so in that case I understand that "it doesn't matter."

[rameumptom]

There are many faith traditions in the scriptures. These are not necessarily based upon fact, but on how God wishes for us to understand symbolism of the past.

For Joseph Smith, the Garden of Eden and Adam-Ondi-Ahman were in Missouri because that is where God told him to place them in our day. How do we know that the Garden of Eden didn't cover all the earth at one time, meaning a specific location is meaningless?

Since we do not know which parts of Genesis are historically accurate, which are somewhat accurate, and which are symbolic concepts to teach us, we need to keep an open mind on all of it. Whether there was an actual global flood is less important than what we learn from the symbolism, or whether there was an actual atonement.

[Torch]

I just wonder who collected the 10,000 species of ants and 28,000 species of butterfly for the ark just to think of a few, and how was this done if there were multiple continents?

[rameumptom]

Heck, how was it done if there were only one landmass?

[KrazyKay]

I just wonder who collected the 10,000 species of ants and 28,000 species of butterfly for the ark just to think of a few, and how was this done if there were multiple continents?

The way it was explained to me is that God told certain animals to gather near where the Ark was being built and that there were a lot fewer species of the different types of animals and insects than there is today. Also, only certain species were told and that after the flood, God used his knowledge of genetics to evolve some of individual species to make more species.

[mightynancy]

^ That's what I'm talking about.

[RescueMom]

The way it was explained to me is that God told certain animals to gather near where the Ark was being built and that there were a lot fewer species of the different types of animals and insects than there is today. Also, only certain species were told and that after the flood, God used his knowledge of genetics to evolve some of individual species to make more species.

The unicorns and dragons didn't get the memo.

[KrazyKay]

The unicorns and dragons didn't get the memo.

Concerning those I was told the unicorns didn't believe that God would floor the world and God didn't want the dragons to survive so he didn't tell them.