By Robert L. Smith

Since religion is a part of every culture, it is not reasonable to try to separate religious beliefs of a civilization being studied from other historical facts, just to be politically correct.  Often religious beliefs are handed down through traditional histories, as well as through religious artifacts, paintings, and sculptures or architecture.

Throughout Central America , Archaeologists and tourists find ancient ruins adorned with carvings and images of the Feathered Serpent God, Quetzalcoatl . 

Catholic Priests were traveling with the Spaniard, Cortez, in 1519 - 1521, when the Aztecs of Mexico were conquered.  At this time the Catholic Inquisition was in full swing in Europe . The Priests believed that the Aztecs and the Mayans of Central America were worshipping false gods, and so they destroyed most of the Mayan histories and codices, leaving a great gap in the knowledge of the ancestry of these people. 

The Aztec word “coatl” means serpent, and the word “quetzal” means feathers, so the combination of these words, “Quetzalcoatl,” means feathered serpent.  Such a name and such an image certainly indicated to the Spanish Priests that the natives were worshipping some demonic creature, and in order to promote Christianity and establish the Church in this new land, the documents describing Quetzalcoatl were destroyed before they had been translated.

Quetzal Bird, the National Bird of Guatemala

Today, school children in Mexico study the traditional history of the ancient god, Quetzalcoatl, which is quite different from the impression given by his name and image.

Fortunately, traditional histories of these people were recorded by a native born scholar named Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxochitl (EEsht-leal-sho-cheat-el), (1578-1650), who has Mexican and Spanish ancestry.

Quetzalcoatl was a man of comely appearance and serious disposition.  His countenance was white, and he wore a beard.  His manner of dress consisted of a long, flowing robe. (Ixtlilxochitl:45)

From traditional histories, the following is a description of Quetzalcoatl:

1. Creator of all things.
2. Born of a virgin.
3. White and wearing a white robe.
4. Performed miracles.
5. Taught the ordinance of baptism.
6. Prophesied of future events.
7. The cross was a symbol.
8. Sent out disciples to preach his word.
9. Promised to come a second time.
10. A new star was associated with his birth.
11. His children would become heirs of the earth.

Through these traditional histories, the Spanish Priests were surprised to find a form of Christian beliefs among these native Americans, although their religion had degenerated to offering human sacrifices to pagan gods. 

Many legends throughout Central America tell of the visit of Quetzalcoatl, his teachings, and his promise to someday return.  However, this information was suppressed at this time, since conversion of the heathens was part of the justification of the Spanish conquest.   Montezuma, the ruler of the Aztec nation is reported to have mistaken the Spanish conqueror, Cortez, for the Great White God, Quetzalcoatl, who, according to legend, had visited his ancestors, and promised some day to return.

The correlation between Christ and Quetzalcoatl becomes blurred by the fact that a 10^th century culture hero called Ce Acatl Toplitzin Quetzalcoatl took upon himself the title of the ancient god, Quetzalcoatl.  Also, as the tales of Quetzalcoatl diminished over time, the symbols of the feathered serpent degenerated into the pagan images that adorn the Mayan and Aztec architecture.

But if Quetzalcoatl was in fact Jesus Christ, why would a feathered serpent be used as his name and his image?  Dr. Joseph Allen, Ph.D, and author of the book, Exploring the Lands of the Book of Mormon, offers an explanation. 

The Book of Mormon, which does not use the name Quetzalcoatl to represent Christ, describes a family which left Jerusalem in 600 BC and sailed in a ship to the shores of Central America .  They brought with them books of the Old Testament as it existed up to that time, including the account in Numbers 21:6-9, which describes the following: 

“The children of Israel were residing in the wilderness.  Being plagued with poisonous serpents, Moses prayed to the Lord for his people.  The Lord instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and attach it to a pole.  The Lord promised Moses that anyone looking upon the serpent, made of brass, having been bitten by a poisonous serpent, would live.

The ancient American Prophet Nephi, the son of Helaman, who contributed to the writings of the Book of Mormon, offered this commentary on the scriptures from Numbers 21:6-9).

As he lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, even so shall he be lifted up who should come.  And as many as should look upon that serpent should live, even so as many as should look upon the Son of God, with faith, having a contrite heart, might live, even unto that life which is eternal.  (Book of Mormon, Helaman 8-14-15).” 

Dr. Allen, in his book, Exploring the Lands of the Book of Mormon, suggests that the feather part of Quetzalcoatl’s name comes from Quetzal bird, the national bird of Guatemala , and the story of the ascension of Christ into heaven after his visit to the ancestors of the Mayans.

“A further symbolic representation of Christ with the quetzal bird and the coatl (serpent) may be as follows:

The beautiful quetzal bird is symbolic of the heavens, and the serpent is symbolic of the earth.  Christ is God over both heaven and earth.  Christ descended, or condescended, to the level of a man as He took upon himself flesh.  As the serpent crawls along the ground, so was Christ himself humiliated as he was scourged and hung upon the cross.  Like the Quetzal, Christ ascended into heaven.  Through the atonement of Christ and through faith in Christ, we may also resurrect and have eternal life.”

Exploring the Lands of the Book of Mormon, page 161, by Joseph Allen, S. A. Publishers, Inc, 275 North 1000 East, Orem , UT 84057 .

The Book of Mormon tells of the visit of Jesus Christ to Central America after his resurrection in Jerusalem .

3 Nephi 11:3-10

3 And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn.

4 And it came to pass that again they heard the voice, and they understood it not.

5 And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did open their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sound came.

6 And behold, the third time they did understand the voice which they heard; and it said unto them:

7 Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him.

8 And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.

9 And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying:

10 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.

The Book of Mormon is a religious history of the ancient inhabitants of Central America .  It describes three migrations to Central America which correlate in time and location to the Olmecs or Toltecas, the Mayans, and the Zapotecs.

Future articles will discuss the correlation of these civilizations described in the Book of Mormon with those documented by Archaeology and traditional histories of Central America .