my understanding,
at one time the statement considered true, was electricity finds the path of least resistance,
the true statement is it will find all paths.
the neutral is a current carrying conductor, (that is in common with the ground) it caries current just like the hots in the panel, same voltages and amps,
the reason why the neutrals and grounds are separated, is so the ground does not become a current carrying conductor,
but the reason grounds all connected in the newer NEC, is to create a ground plane of equal potential,
say you have number of panels, and there all separate ground and bonded to the natural, do to changes in the earth, and resistance in the wires, you will find different potentials, if all the grounds/earths are bonded, then you make a net, of equal potentials,
according to the NEC, all metal is to be bonded, and then bonded to the earth as well, if a building has any utilities or water lines it is to be grounded and the panel is to treated a sub panel, (a 4 wire system),
most older farms, have a meter pole and usually it is a distribution pole or point, as well, and each buildings electrical is treated as it own main panel, in most instances the NEC today requires a 4 wire system, in it distribution system on a private place,
one can have stray voltage from power lines, as they are grounded as well, and there can be leakage or a path from power lines many miles a way traveling under the earth back to the point of distribution or the point of generation, and at times it can be a cause of stray voltage, by placing the ground rods and making ground plane that stray voltage is then equalized, in that area,
livestock barns under current code are to be built with a wire mesh that is embedded with the concrete floors that are bonded to ground, and any metal in the buildings, to make a equalized plane, same with swimming pools. all water lines and utilities are to be bonded as well, as they can create an unequal potentials,
(in the case of this discussion, with ground and neutral being bonded, and a stray voltage was created,
I would reinspect the ground wire for secure connections working clear throughout the electrical system, as more than likely there is some point of resistance to shunt the current back through the ground/earth,
(back in the 70's when the ground prong was introduced many a receptacle was what was called a boot leg ground where the neutrals was ran to the ground prong as well, or if a line was extended the ground was connected to the neutral. (since it was not understood by many, the thought was if the ground/earth was connected at the main panel and or meter, (in there thinking it was the equivalent to the same thing, so why not just connect it downstream in the system (there all going to the same place),
the ground does two things one makes a ground potential that is equal to the neutral, and second it give a place to drain off excess current so there is not an unequal potentials, and sometimes even will trip a breaker if there is a direct short, (many times does not happen because of resistance in the earth/soils),
the ground is there (example), if your dryer sitting on a concrete floor, (concrete conducts nearly as well as the earth does, may better), and say the dryer is on rubber feet, something shorts out to the frame of the machine, the frame of that dryer is now the same as the hot side of the power line, 120 volts, you walk up bear footed and open up the door of the dryer, you will get bit a good one as you just became the ground line, now if it is grounded properly the ground will drain off the voltage protecting you or you loved ones, and in a situation like this most likely pop the breaker as it will follow the grounding wire back and over load the breaker,
the problem with the ground/earth and the neutral being connected, is if a fault is found in the neutral line it will make the ground/earth in to a current conducting line, thus possibly creating the stray voltage problem discussed here,
I hope I made this as clear as mud,
