10 Light Skin Bearded Gods Who Appeared in the Americas

Without a doubt, the best outside-the-Book-of-Mormon detail on Christ visiting the Americas is here! It’s both amazing and specific! And rarely seen! It’s also got a quick summary in #10 below!

But there are lots of less specific accounts of a light skinned gods with beards visiting the first inhabitants of the Americas. This does not mean that every single one of these accounts is actually Christ. It also does not mean that each of these legends is the same – but they all have a light skinned bearded god stopping by to say hello.

Among other things.

Let’s start in Chile:

1) Chilean Diety-Man

The natives of Chili have the following tradition concerning one of their culture­ heroes, which closely resembles Messiah as he was revealed to the Nephites:

Resales, in his inedited (i. e. unpublished) History of Chili, declares that the inhabitants of that extremely southern portion of America, situated at the distance of so many thousand miles from New Spain, and who did not employ paintings to record events, accounted for their knowledge of some of the doctrines of Christianity by saying, "that in former times, as they had heard their fathers say, a wonderful man had come to that country, wearing a long beard, with shoes, and a mantle such as the Indians carry on their shoulders, who performed many miracles, cured the sick with water, caused it to rain, and their crops and grain to grow, kindled fire at a breath, and wrought other marvels, healing at once the sick, and giving sight to the blind; and that lie spoke with as much propriety and elegance in the language of their country as if he had always resided in it, addressing them in words very sweet and new to them, telling them that the Creator of the universe resided in the highest place of heaven, and that many men and women who were resplendent as the sun dwelt with him. They say that he shortly afterwards went to Peru, and that many, in imitation of the habit and shoes which that man used, introduced among themselves the fashion of wearing shoes, and the loose mantle over the shoulders, either fastened with a clasp at the breast, or knotted at the corners, whence it may be inferred that this man was some apostle whose name they do not know. (https://books.google.com/books?id=kOssAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA25&lpg=PA25&dq=The+natives+of+Chili+have+the+following+tradition+concerning+one+of+their+culture+heroes,+which+closely+resembles+Messiah+as+he+was+revealed+to+the+Nephites&source=bl&ots=jzoSWGeAXM&sig=ACfU3U3vVdouecbeT4HpOY64DbgMV6LCWA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjY7onr6briAhVJX60KHWo3B1oQ6AEwAHoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=The%20natives%20of%20Chili%20have%20the%20following%20tradition%20concerning%20one%20of%20their%20culture%20heroes%2C%20which%20closely%20resembles%20Messiah%20as%20he%20was%20revealed%20to%20the%20Nephites&f=false)

This is the one almost everyone knows:

2) Quetzalcoatl

“During the Olmec period… the great Quetzalcoatl appeared. We have seen that in the Popol Vuh and Codex Chimalpopoca this being is represented as half-divinity, half-hero, who who came at the head of the first Nahuas to America from across the sea…

“… Quetzalcoatl was a white, bearded man, venerable, just, and holy, who taught by precept and example the paths of virtue in all the Nahua cities…

“…His teachings, according to the traditions, had much in common with those of Christ in the Old World…

“…He promised to return in a future year Ce Acatl, at which time his doctrines were to be fully accepted, and his descendants were to posses the land. Montezuma is known to have regarded the coming of Cortes and the Spaniards as a fulfillment of this prediction.” (https://books.google.com/books?id=l1qHkqBSso4C&pg=PA90&lpg=PA90&dq=description+of+gucumatz+beard&source=bl&ots=MMXFs4juZE&sig=rbm6bxUeLvbKLP-Ioaj7aVM0MZI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiUosfb6prbAhVH7lQKHcQWCMYQ6AEIlAEwDw#v=onepage&q=description%20of%20gucumatz%20beard&f=false)

This next one is also known as “the Weeping God” (see 3 Nephi 17:21). Two different references below:

3) Viracocha

A) “Viracocha was the supreme god of the Incas. He is also known as Huiracocha, Wiraqoca and Wiro Qocha. Considered the creator god he was the father of all other Inca gods and it was he who formed the earth, heavens, sun, moon and all living beings. When he finished his work he was believed to have travelled far and wide teaching humanity and bringing the civilised arts before he headed west across the Pacific, never to be seen again but promising one day to return…

“In art Viracocha is often depicted as an old bearded man wearing a long robe and supported by a staff. One of his earliest representations may be the weeping statue at the ruins of Tiwanaku, close to Lake Titicaca, the traditional Inca site where all things were first created. Here, sculpted on the lintel of a massive gateway, the god holds thunderbolts in each hand and wears a crown with rays of the sun whilst his tears represent the rain.” (https://www.ancient.eu/Viracocha/)

B) “All the Indians agree that they were created by this Viracocha, who they believe was a man of medium height, white and clothed in a white robe gathered around his body, and that he carried a staff and a book in his hands. After this, they tell a strange story; that is, that after this Viracocha created all the people, he came walking to a place where a large group had congregated … Viracocha continued his journey, doing the works of piety and instructing the people he had created … and wishing to leave the land of Peru, he gave a speech to those he had created, advising them of things which were to happen in the future. He warned them that people would come saying that they were the Viracocha, their creator, and that the people should not believe the impostors, but that in the coming ages he would send his messengers to teach and support them. And having said this, he and his two companions went into the ocean and walked away over the waters, without sinking, as if they had been walking on land.” (https://www.lds.org/liahona/1984/01/four-peruvian-versions-of-the-white-god-legend?lang=eng)

Here’s an interesting one – some people think he was a Viking:

4) Votan

“Votan, appearing as the bearded "god" clothed in a long, flowing robe…

“The actual name Votan comes from the Tzendal Maya of Chiapas. It literally means 'heart', and he was known as "the heart of the people." This deified human reputedly kept a record of the origin of the native races, which he gave to the guardians of a subterranean "Hall of Records" in Mesoamerica.” (http://www.viewzone.com/votanx.html)

These stories are generally compiled by Europeans, but this one was jotted down by a converted native. One less telephone in the telephone game if you think about it:

5) Thonapa

Very little is now known about the author of the next legend, except that he was an Indian from the southern sector of the Inca empire who prided himself on having been “Christianized.” He wrote under the unwieldy name of Don Joan de Santacruz Pachacuti Yamqui, and his manuscript, a curious mixture of Spanish and Quechua words, remained unpublished until 1880. Santacruz Pachacuti’s version of the white god tradition, though, is most interesting:

“Some years after the devils had been cast out of this land, there came to these provinces and kingdoms of Tabantinsuyo a bearded man of medium build with long hair, wearing a rather long tunic, and they say that he was more than a youth. He had white hairs, was slender, walked with a staff, and he taught the people with great love, calling them all his sons and daughters. But, he was not always listened to nor obeyed by all the people, and when he journeyed through the provinces he performed many miracles visibly: he healed the sick by touching them with his hands… (https://www.lds.org/liahona/1984/01/four-peruvian-versions-of-the-white-god-legend?lang=eng)

To Brazil for this next one!

6) Sume

Sume of Brazil was a white, bearded man who, however, came from the east, not the west. He introduced agriculture, and had power to raise and still tempests. The Caboclos of Brazil persecuted him, and, before he retired from their country, he left the prints of his feet on rocks as did Buddha in Ceylon and elsewhere…” (https://books.google.com/books?id=6chKHROa1icC&pg=PA270&lpg=PA270&dq=Paye%C2%ADTome&source=bl&ots=70na38uhG3&sig=iG5uKVxqLNdBAOJ2IRFi6pWSCGY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj9g8T2sp3bAhUKllQKHTEvD8UQ6AEIUjAH#v=onepage&q=Paye%C2%ADTome&f=false)

Here’s another one with Christ-like power behind him:

7) Payetome

Payetome was also a white man…

The apostle of the Chileans was a white man who performed miracles and cured the sick; he caused rain to fall and crops to grow, and kindled fire at a breath. (https://books.google.com/books?id=6chKHROa1icC&pg=PA270&lpg=PA270&dq=Paye%C2%ADTome&source=bl&ots=70na38uhG3&sig=iG5uKVxqLNdBAOJ2IRFi6pWSCGY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj9g8T2sp3bAhUKllQKHTEvD8UQ6AEIUjAH#v=onepage&q=Paye%C2%ADTome&f=false)

This one, from the north east, is phonetically pleasing:

8) Ye-Sos

An Oneida tradition recounts the visit of a bearded, fair-skinned, white-robed stranger who instructed them to live together in peace.  Such was the will of his father, the Great Spirit. He had been born across the sea in a land where all men were bearded.   When the Oneidas asked him what his name was, he responded: "Ye-sos." (http://navajoministry.org/othersheep.html)

This one specifically mentions the angelic visitor was resurrected:

9) Glooskap

“…the Penobscot, in the Northeast, spoke of Glooskap, previously identified with Michabo, a great teacher and miracle worker who died and was then resurrected. (https://books.google.com/books?id=8nmyq-FXXIYC&pg=PA102&lpg=PA102&dq=glooskap+%22miracle+worker%22&source=bl&ots=ftkWUczgdW&sig=wpow7VrYkdJ6jk_4Sht6YkpG6HQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjU8drrw53bAhUaHDQIHazPDVMQ6AEIQTAI#v=onepage&q=glooskap%20%22miracle%20worker%22&f=false)

If any examples on this list deserve a source click by you, it’s this one. I linked it above but I also linked it here. This one was compiled more recently from oral traditions by an American-Orthadox fellow. It reinforces 3^rd Nephi like nothing I’ve ever seen. If you’ve seen better, please do share:

10) Chee-Zoos

In the Lakota and Cherokee way of life, Wakan Tanka (Standard Lakota Orthography: Wakȟáŋ Tȟáŋka) is the term for "the sacred" or "the divine". This is usually translated as "The Great Spirit". However, according to Russell Means, its meaning is closer to "Great Mystery" as Lakota spirituality is not henotheistic. Before their attempted conversion to Christianity, the Sioux used Wakȟáŋ Tȟáŋka to refer to an organization of sacred entities whose ways were mysterious: thus, "The Great Mystery". It would seem to appear that they had already, with consideration of their culture, been Christianized by Jesus the Christ Himself and that it had begun at the beginning of Jesus' 40 days after His Resurrection. They tried hard to say it: Chee-Zoos, God of the Dawn Light, but could not. Many may not want to accept this thought or idea of understanding because of the abuses either they or others have gone through by our own white people. I cannot blame them and neither should you. (http://www.apostle1.com/a-native-american-indian-god.html)

I’d like to stress that this is not all the bearded, white, healing-visitor accounts out there. And I’d like to double-stress that I’m not convinced ‘white’ means ‘Caucasian’ in these stories.

These are all a thought-provoking read when they’re lumped into a fast blast like this. Could these be the other sheep Christ referenced when he left his apostles after the resurrection in John 10:16. Possible post resurrection visits hinted at there are not recorded anywhere else. 

If you haven’t already, here’s a final account: 3 Nephi Chapter 11 in the Book of Mormon. It starts a pretty long visitation account of Christ in the Americas. Read it, then read these 10 again.  

It’s fascinating.