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From the article: But something is rotten in Zarahemla — wherever it may be. In the middle of what could be a fun and intellectually exciting pursuit…there are accusations of disloyalty tantamount to apostasy. It wouldn't be hard to predict that some friction might come about from competing theories — that healthy sparring would occur with arguments and counter-arguments. But it has gone beyond that. The source of the animosity comes from the heartland theory's mantra: "Joseph knew." Joseph Smith made several statements that can be interpreted to have geographic implications. Proponents of a North American setting see these statements as authoritative and based in revelation. Mesoamerican theorists think that Joseph Smith's ideas about geography expanded over time and included approval of at least some connection to Central America. To the heartlander, Joseph's knowledge about Book of Mormon locations is seen as proof of his divine calling and a testament to his being the chosen ranslator/expert of the book…"The way I look at Joseph Smith's statements is that he either knew or he didn't know. If he knew, he knew by revelation. And if he didn't know, you've got to ask yourself why he said the things that he said," Porter said. "If he didn't know, was he trying to show off? If he really didn't know, why was he telling people?

If Smith didn’t know; and if he knew his followers interpreted what he said as coming from his god, then, indeed, why would Smith tell people he knew?

From the article: If you don't agree with this line of reasoning, by implication, you think that Joseph lied.

Lie? No, I’d say the BYU folks; the FAIR folks; the DesNews folks try to be “charitable” toward Joseph Smith and think he was “mistaken.” But if Smith knew his followers interpreted what he said as coming from God; and he opened his mouth on the subject, when in fact, he didn’t know…then Smith was still deceiving people – even if one is “charitable” and thinks Smith was mistaken…

Deception doesn’t always hinge on intentionality. Smith was still a deceiver no matter how you look at it…Because he knew how his statements would be taken…as authoritatively from God.

He knew what he didn’t know, Ya know....

Some placed the Nephite capital city Zarahemla in Mesoamerica, others in South America. Others argued for a setting in the American heartland.

Come on. How hard is this to figure out? They travfeled from a hill, in upstate New York and created a new capital thousands of miles away? Or was it the other way around?

If they traveled from Mesoamerica or South America, how did they know how to deal with the winters of the North?