Subtitled another testament of jesus christ, it recounts the story story of an israelite family who immigrated to and fully populated the american continents. Nov 06, 2006 the book of mormon teaches that these israelites are the principal ancestors of modernday native americans. 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 cursory look at the themes presented in the book of mormon will make this clear. He addressed a book of mormon lands conference on 2007oct20 in salt lake city, ut. Brant gardner is a software consultant with training in mesoamerican studies and anthropology. Ostler asserts that the book of mormon events must have taken place on an island as was claimed by jacob after arriving in the promised land. Rediscovering the book of mormon remnant through dna. I carefully and openmindedly studied the data, and wrote a detailed article to highlight the fallacy of critics arguments. Archaeological and historical evidence dna and the book of. 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. Dna and the book of mormon brigham young university.
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. Simon southerton submitted to us as to why he left mormonism due to dna evidence is at whyleft125. 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. Joseph smith was the founder and prophet of the church of jesus christ of latterday saintsunofficially called the mormon church. 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. Parallels of the hopewell culture as described by william c. 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.
I also sent a copy to byu university, to farms, the mormons branch that is in charge of protecting mormon beliefs, asking how i could refute this dvd. Oct 07, 2015 i addressed the book of mormon dna mormon stories podcast in the comments section in one of your postings below, but thought i would note it here, for your discussion. Dna and the book of mormon explained fulllength video youtube. The washington post says, it is the kind of evening that restores your faith in musicals. 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.
The biggest problem with most anti mormon attacks involving dna and the book of mormon is not so much the lack of scholarship about dna as it is the lack of scholarship concerning the book of mormon. Ancient dna from hopewell ohio book of mormon evidence. In this episode, three geneticists respond to the lds essay book of mormon and dna studies, and to apologist michael ashs article entitled the dna challenge to the book of mormon that fizzled. The following essay is the official lds released essay entitled book of mormon and dna studies. 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.
Dna evidence now links many native american tribes of the northeast with israel. The conflicts have caused some commentators to conclude that the book of mormon is a human document and was not translated by joseph smith from golden plates given to him. Scientific studies of dna, facial structure, blood types, and migration patterns have indicated that natives are of siberian origin and are totally unrelated to ancient jews. The critics are using tentative scientific findings to discredit common misconceptions about the book of mormon, not what the text actually teaches. Southerton and professor murphy in a discussion of the problems dna research poses for book of mormon claims. Thousands of native americans from more than 150 tribes have been tested to determine their ancestry. Book of mormon dna help post by fivefingermnemonic fri jan 18, 2019 3. The dna truth that the mormon belief that they are related to the american indians is false. New discoveries in dna research currently allow scientists to test this historical claim. The book of mormon living hope ministries dna and the book of mormon record, by bill mckeever lamanites no more. This must mean that amerindians are not descended from book of mormon peoples, and the book of mormon is false. There is generally no direct support amongst mainstream historians and archaeologists for the.
Dna evidence and molecular genetics disprove the book of mormon by rich deem introduction. It contains a record of gods dealings with three groups of people who migrated from the near east or west asia to the americas hundreds of years before the arrival of europeans. Does dna evidence prove the book of mormon to be false. Proposed book of mormon geographical setting wikipedia. 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 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 documentary is a must see for all those who view the book of mormon as an accurate history of the native american indians.
The conference is an annual event sponsored by the book of mormon archeological forum. A new dvd in which several scientists have joined with dr. The book of mormon and the new world dna deseret book. Dna evidence and molecular genetics disprove the book of mormon. Mills, chief archaeologist of ohio, with the book of mormon may 20, 1917. The research herein refutes the claim that dna analysis proves the book of mormon false, on the contrary it explores genetic dna evidence that may actually support the claims of the book of mormon. The book of mormon for more than 170 years, the church of jesus christ of latterday saints has declared the book of mormon to be a scriptural and literal history. Some mormon researchers claim that it is not valid to use genetics to attempt to prove or disprove the historicity of the book of mormon, citing a lack of source genes and the improbability of tracing israelite dna even if present.
Dna samples taken from modern american indians show no connection to the dna of the peoples of the middle east. Prophets who taught of the messiah were called from among this people for over a. The criticism of the mormon church is the following. Attacks on the book of mormon using results of dna studies. 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. Michael fuller i addressed the book of mormondna mormon. The book of mormon teaches that these israelites are the principal ancestors of modernday native americans. Sep 19, 2009 last wednesday, rod meldrum visited nauvoo and gave a presentation on dna and the book of mormon. The lds church released an essay on their website titled book of mormon and dna studies. An island setting for book of mormon account was first proposed by blake ostler in his sunstone article titled dna strands in the book of mormon.
Sunday attended sunday school and afternoon service in hawthorne hall, and was a speaker at each assembly. The new york times calls it the best musical of this century. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints affirms that the book of mormon is a volume of sacred scripture comparable to the bible. It was released by the church to help explain how the book of mormon s credibility is not harmed due to recent dna evidence which concludes that the native americans are not the descendants of the book of mormon people, and to explain why the churchs credibility is not harmed due to having such a. I suggest that if we are serious about assessing whether what the book of mormon teaches is consistent with dna evidence, we must assess it based on. 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. Respected dna scientists, geneticists, and book of mormon scholars provide their views on dna and the book of mormon. My interest in book of mormon dna issues began several years ago when my bishop in texas asked me to help a lessactive young man who was struggling with this topic. The videos arguing that dna disproves the book of mormon have been circulating for many years. Simon is married to jane who is an english teacherlibrarian.
As book of mormon students increasingly understand that the book of mormon actually describes a very limited geographical area in its accounts, and as they recognize that mesoamerica southern mexico, guatemala, and surrounding territory offers the best candidate for the setting of the book of mormon, they also recognize that the dna attacks. The book of mormon is a religious volume that was published by joseph smith in 1830. If the book of mormon is false, joseph smith was not a prophet. The essay asserts that dna studies cannot be used decisively to either affirm or reject the historical authenticity of the book of mormon. The book of mormon makes several scientific claims that can be tested. His attempt was to make the case that dna studies do indeed prove the validity, accuracy, and historicity of the book of mormon. Given that the premise of all of this discussion, presumably, is presenting truth, i thought that podcast which you recommended to me needed some questions raised.
I purchased over 50 copies of this dvd and sent them to mormon temples in the united states and abroad. Sep 16, 2015 in response to mormon apologetics in 2004 he published losing a lost tribe, which explores the origins of amerindian and polynesian dna and its implications for lds beliefs arising from the book of mormon. Book of mormon and dna studies response to an essay on book of mormon and dna studies was added on 114 in the topical guide of the website. 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. According to the book, two of these groups originated from ancient israel. The mainstream scientific consensus about the origin of the ancient americans and peoples is at odds with the claims put forth in the book of mormon, though mormon apologists have made efforts to reconcile these contradictions.
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