Joseph smith said in the introduction to the book i told the brethren that the book of mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone to our religion yet, the evidence shows the book of mormon is not revelation from god, but a fictitious story written by joseph smith. Much as critics and defenders of the book of mormon would like to use dna studies to support their views, the evidence is simply inconclusive. Dna vs book of mormon incredible new evidence youtube. Rod is a friend of mine and a member of my hp group, but he has oversimplified this dna matter, aside from falsely stating 1 that the maya are the center of interest of those who consider the book of mormon to be a mesoamerican codex, and 2 that they focus on the maya because they think that joseph smith did so as well.
Why were afraid of mormons bu today boston university. New scientific support for the truthfulness of the book of mormon. Apr 17, 2015 nothing is known about the extent of intermarriage and genetic mixing between book of mormon peoples or their descendants and other inhabitants of the americas, though some mixing appears evident, even during the period covered by the books text. Rather, he calls us to prove all things 1 thessalonians 5. Archaeological and historical evidence dna and the book of. However, this attack ignores several key points, among which is the fact that the book of mormon states that lehi and his family are clearly not jews. This must mean that amerindians are not descended from book of mormon peoples, and the book of mormon is false. Book of mormon and dna studies \n great response simon. Genetic attacks on the book of mormon focus on the fact that amerindian dna seems closest to asian dna, and not dna from the middle east or jewish dna. Book of mormon difficulties, contradictions and explanations. In fact, the dna evidence does not refute the claims of the text itself, nor does it preclude a divine origin for the book of mormon. Latterday saints feel when faced with the recent dna challenges to book of mormon historicity is the link in their minds between the issue of amerindian origins and what they have been taught the book of mormon says about ancient american peoples. New discoveries in dna research currently allow scientists to test this historical claim.
Lost civilizations of north america documentary4, deborah bolnick on haplogroup x. Dna evidence has forced another edit to the book of mormon. Three great resources to debunk the dna vs book of mormon. Product description critics of the lds church recently latched onto dna studies that point to a predominant asiatic origin to the american indians and conclude that the book of mormon cannot be an ancient record as claimed by joseph smith. Dna evidence and molecular genetics disprove the book of mormon by rich deem introduction. The book of mormon makes several scientific claims that can be tested. A book of mormon, first edition, 1830, scanned online copy b book of mormon, introduction, online. Joseph smith was the founder and prophet of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints unofficially called the mormon church. Dna evidence and molecular genetics disprove the book of mormon. A cursory look at the themes presented in the book of mormon will make this clear. In this article, we will provide some background on this issue focusing on the scientific issues, followed by a point by point response to various statements made in the essay about the book of mormon. Nothing is known about the dna of book of mormon peoples. That is, when confronted with dna evidence that doesnt track with what theyve been taught.
After some light research on the dna problem that critics began assaulting the book of mormon with nearly ten years ago, i wanted an lds scholarly perspective. The galtonwatson equilibrium if each generation averages 1. The other quiet response from lds leadership was a change in the book of mormon introduction page, which prior to about late 2005 had said the lamanites were principal among the. Family giftingamazonsmile charity listspantry listsyour heartsexplore idea. The guys who did south park did book of mormon on broadway. Book of mormon and dna studies \n latterday saints and other denominations in the lds restorationist movement have taught that native americans are descendents of three groups of ancient israelites who came to the new world. Book of mormon and dna studies great response simon. Three geneticists respond to the lds essay on dna and the. If the problem were merely a lack of evidence, one could legitimately argue that a lack of evidence is not refutation absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints and other denominations in the lds restorationist movement have taught that native americans are descendents of three groups of ancient israelites who came to the new world. He is a population geneticist and has consulted with the lds church related to the book of mormon and dna.
A recently published book claims that dna evidence proves the book of mormon, one of the books of scripture used by the mormon church, incorrect. They did dna testing on some of the children, and in each case found the father to be the mothers legal husband. The book of mormon documentary examines and compares genetic evidence identifying the dna fingerprints of the jewish populations and american indian populations, and presents the testimony of several dna experts in seeking to answer the question, are israelites the principal ancestors of native american indians. One last topic on the subject of archaeological evidence for the book of mormon that i want to talk about is horses. Jun 22, 2016 all opinions, speakers and presenters represent and express their own individual opinions, and not necessarily the opinions of firm foundation, book of mormon evidence, or its employees, and no information or opinions represent the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Members of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints need to realize that god does not seek to confuse us and lead us away from him through the use of our intellect. Nothing is known about the extent of intermarriage and genetic mixing between book of mormon peoples or their descendants and other inhabitants of the americas, though some mixing appears evident, even during the period covered by the books text. The controversy stems from dna studies of native american peoples. This dvd delivers on its promise, and provided empirical evidence to those who will listen. This is sad because we shouldnt have to be wary of fellow lds members writings.
Dna samples taken from modern american indians show no connection to the dna of the peoples of the middle east. Dna evidence has relatively little to do with the authenticity of the book of mormon, but does provide importance tentative insights into the origins of many ancient american peoples. Nelsonseawright over the last decade or so, there has been a voluminous, and often tiresome, debate about whether recent dna evidence regarding the origins of native americans disproves the book of mormon. Attacks on the validity of the book of mormon using dna data support for the book of mormon by mormon academics. Many lds academics and theologians are now promoting a limited geography theory. A youtube clip entitled dna vs book of mormon incredible new. Jan 19, 2016 rod is a friend of mine and a member of my hp group, but he has oversimplified this dna matter, aside from falsely stating 1 that the maya are the center of interest of those who consider the book of mormon to be a mesoamerican codex, and 2 that they focus on the maya because they think that joseph smith did so as well. This is some heavy duty gaslighting and throwing the bom under the bus. Now, finally, incontrovertible scientific evidence can either prove the book of mormon to be true and therefore mormonism is the true, restored gospel or the book of mormon is a fabricated tale and the claims of mormonism false. Is there dna evidence between native americans and the. This video carefully examines the complex issues of genetic research. It is an article titled book of mormon and dna studies.
Oaks, the historicity of the book of mormon, in paul y. Critics of the lds church recently latched onto dna studies that point to a predominant asiatic origin to the american indians and conclude that the book of mormon cannot be. The book of mormon dna debate an interview with ugo perego. Does dna evidence prove the book of mormon to be false. In early 2008 rodney meldrum published a dvd titled dna evidence for book of mormon geography.
Book of mormon and dna studies church of jesus christ. If the book of mormon is false, joseph smith was not a prophet. May 11, 2009 a recently published book claims that dna evidence proves the book of mormon, one of the books of scripture used by the mormon church, incorrect. And the answer that many lds gave to this part of my question was that the dna testing proved that they have not found any offspring yet with joseph smiths dna. Understanding the scientific evidence this page supports my main mormon answers page on dna evidence and the book of mormon. Prophets who taught of the messiah were called from among this people for over a. The book of mormon, the founding document of the latter day saint movement and one of the four books of scripture of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church, is an account of three groups of people. Related topics including the book of mormon and dna. The conclusion states, much as critics and defenders of the book of mormon would like to use dna studies to support their views, the evidence is simply inconclusive. Dna and the book of mormon explained fulllength video. Critics of the lds church recently latched onto dna studies that point to a predominant asiatic origin to the american indians and conclude that the book of mormon cannot be an ancient record as claimed by joseph smith. The owner and employees of this site are members of the lds church and in good standing.
The idea that america may have been overwhelmingly peopled by folks from northeastern asia. Gondwana provides dna testing services to tree breeders to enable them to. Well documented facts, and he covered so many different aspects of evidence to back up his video presentation, aside from the compelling dna evidence, he used weather, animal migration, mapping, rivers, water bodies, descriptions from the book of mormon and matched them to the local geography. This is a running theme not only throughout the lds. According to the book, two of these groups originated from ancient israel. The chief claim, and the premise of the entire book, is that hebrews carried the message of the coming messiah on a voyage across the atlantic. The book of mormon makes a handful of references to horses existing on the american continents in these ancient times. The documentary is a must see for all those who view the book of mormon as an accurate history of the native american indians. The dvd is based upon a popular presentation given in a number of fireside. There is generally no direct support amongst mainstream historians and archaeologists for the.
Book of mormon and dna studies by michael degroote mormon times and deseret news february 4, 2014 february 4th, 2014. Joseph smith claimed that the book of mormon is the. The actual reality lies somewhere in between the two above views. Dna evidence and the book of mormon conclusive proof. Oct, 2010 and the answer that many lds gave to this part of my question was that the dna testing proved that they have not found any offspring yet with joseph smiths dna. The most striking feature of the lds church s dna essay is its admission that nothing is known about the dna of book of mormon peoples and the vast majority of native americans carry dna that appears to have come from east asia. Archaeological evidence of the book of mormon latterday. The criticism of the mormon church is the following. At worst, they have misrepresented themselves and the evidence in the. The book of mormon people even had to change the introductory page in light of the dna evidence in 2005. Does dna evidence prove the book of mormon is false. Reviews of dna evidence for book of mormon geography. The book of mormon claims that the native american peoples are descended from the house of israel, but the dna evidence, according to this book, points to an asiatic origin for the american continents native people.
Dna evidence of the book of mormon in north america, linking native americans to the jewish population in the middle east. On january 31, 2014, the lds church published an essay entitled book of mormon and dna studies in the gospel topics series on its official website. Response to rodney meldrums incredible new dna evidence for. These were the latest of stories that antimormon journalists.
A recently published book claims that dna evidence proves that the book of mormon, a book of scripture used in conjunction with the bible by the mormon church, is incorrect and points to an asiatic origin versus a middle eastern origin for the inhabitants of the american continents about 100 genetic studies have been done on about 75 groups out of 500 known native. Apparently the same story, a test of faith, dna research challenges the book of mormon, was published on march 19, 2005, with a front page emphasis in section d of the spectrum. Modern dna evidence in no way disproves the traditional lds belief that book of mormon peoples represent the principal ancestors of the american indians. Scientists theorize that in an era that predated book of.
May, 2009 weighing dna evidence about the book of mormon may, 2009 by j. The book of mormon and the new world dna deseret book. The lds church released an essay on their website titled book of mormon and dna studies. Dna and population genetics a haplotype is a group of genes derived from dna that are inherited together from a single parent and a haplogroup is a group of similar haplotypes that share a common ancestor with a singlenucleotide polymorphism mutation. Dna and the book of mormon, by cooper johnson does dna evidence refute the book of mormon. The nhm inscription is the most important piece of geographical evidence book of mormon supporters have for their claims. The video records interviews with eight scientists, the video records interviews with eight scientists, including two former mormons one of them a bishop who left their church because of this evidence. Critics claim that such studies prove conclusively that there is no evidence of a middle eastern strand within the native american gene pool. This new evidence, in contrast to the first, appears to provide support for the book of mormon as well as and an interesting geographic paradigm for the events therein. The nahom case provides evidence, not of the authenticity of the book of mormon, but of the willingness of lds scholars to look anywhere to find validation for a historically accurate reading of the book of mormon. The book of mormon is clear that it was a literal curse on their skin.
Rediscovering the book of mormon remnant through dna. Is there dna evidence between native americans and the lamanites. Book of mormon evidence, or its employees, and no information or opinions represent the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Whiting, a prominent geneticist whose work has received widespread attention it was featured as the cover story in cover article in nature in midjanuary 2003, recently gave a lecture at byu entitled, does dna evidence refute the authenticity of the book of mormon. Dna controversy is an issue that most critics believe completely undermines mormon beliefs in the truthfulness of the book. The evidence assembled to date suggests that the majority of native americans carry largely asian dna. Feb 18, 20 critics intent on discrediting the restoration point to dna studies on indigenous american peoples in an attempt to expose joseph, the book of mormon, and the church of jesus christ of latterday. A recently published book claims that dna evidence proves that the book of mormon, a book of scripture used in conjunction with the bible by the mormon church, is incorrect and points to an asiatic origin versus a middle eastern origin for the inhabitants of the american continents.
With that as a foundation, the church has taught for a long time that many native americans were, naturally, descendants of that family. Some view the book of mormon as a 19th century work, brought forth in the mind of joseph smith the prophet, which he had a right. Book of mormon and dna studies the church of jesus christ of. Thats gotta be a dead giveaway they know they are wrong. Simon southerton submitted to us as to why he left mormonism due to dna evidence is at whyleft125. Testing of the ychromosome dna and mitochondrial dna are. Dna and the book of mormon explained fulllength video youtube. Dna and the book of mormon brigham young university. Dna evidence does not support the testimony of the lds church mormon doctrine. The book of mormon documentary accurately presents the consensus of the scientific community that northern asia not israel is the place of origin of the native american indians. Book of mormon and dna studies, posted at on friday, is one of several additions or enhancements to the sites. Some view literally, but with nuance to the understanding of the book of mormon that makes sense of the evidences against it. Book of mormon dna mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs.
The book of mormon is a religious volume that was published by joseph smith in 1830. However, this attack ignores several key points, among which is the fact that the book of mormon states. Devout mormon, daniel peterson, a professor of asian and near eastern languages at brigham young university, said. Attempts to resolve conflicts between the book of mormon and dna findings. This book, for the most part, delivers, for those like me without scholarly backgrounds in genetics. Dna and the book of mormon the traditional latterday saint position t he book of mormon recounts the story of a small israelite group led by lehi and also one headed by mulek from ancient jerusalem to the american continent in approximately 600 bc. The lds church claims they are and the validity of the book of mormon requires that they are. Correlation and verification through dna, prophetic, scriptural, historical, climatological, archaeological, social, and cultural evidence. Although the primary purpose of the book of mormon is more spiritual than historical, some people have wondered whether the migrations it describes are compatible with scientific studies of ancient america. Critics intent on discrediting the restoration point to dna studies on indigenous american peoples in an attempt to expose joseph, the book of mormon, and the church of jesus christ of latterday. Thousands of native americans from more than 150 tribes have been tested to determine their ancestry. Weighing dna evidence about the book of mormon by common.
All opinions, speakers and presenters represent and express their own individual opinions, and not necessarily the opinions of firm foundation, book of mormon evidence, or its employees, and no information or opinions represent the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Dna evidence and the book of mormon conclusive proof that. The book of mormon teaches that these israelites are the principal ancestors of modernday native americans. The dna evidence has exposed the true ancestry of native americans with amazing clarity and also, unfortunately for the lds church, the dubious history of the book of mormon. Dna vs book of mormon incredible new evidence general. Sep 08, 2016 on january 31, 2014, the lds church published an essay entitled book of mormon and dna studies in the gospel topics series on its official website. In summary, dna evidence and the book of mormon is long overdue. Older lds interpretations of the book of mormon implied that north american natives are all descendents of jews who emigrated from the middle east. Nov 06, 2006 the book of mormon teaches that these israelites are the principal ancestors of modernday native americans.
32 1412 1326 193 553 707 627 1258 675 723 370 82 1044 561 1465 114 477 823 1245 613 1306 1039 282 606 628 448 556 962 643 998 165 1498 1383 1259 1013 1160 1262 27 409 1351