The book of mormon makes several scientific claims that can be tested. John dehlins mormon stories essay on dna and the book of mormon makes the following claim. Dna and the book of mormon the book of mormon has traditionally been presented as a historical account of the first inhabitants of the americas the principle ancestors of the native americans. 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 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. The lenba sic are a group of 80,000 south africans who claim jewish heritage, practice many. Johnson age 20 and born in nearby new haven, oswego county, ny and an unknown father. The church says the studies are being twisted to attack its beliefs. May 11, 2009 nothing in the book of mormon precludes migration into the americas by peoples of asiatic origin1. Book of mormon and dna studies the church of jesus christ of latterday saints affirms that the book of mormon is a volume of sacred scripture comparable to the bible. Taking on the book of mormon and dna studies beggars bread. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints and other.
To contend with these arguments, some mormons dismiss dna studies as being. Another testament of jesus christ, is true, not false. Dna science challenges lds history christian research. He also has an excellent article, dna and the book of mormon. Book of mormon dna studies hugh nibley collection hbll. She was born on march 2, 1889 in mexico, oswego county, new york, the unnamed daughter of a minerva d. Recent dna research confirms what anthropologists have been saying for nearly as many years, that native americans are originally from siberia and. 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. 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. 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. Book of mormon dna religionwiki fandom powered by wikia.
A phylogenetic perspective in the journal of book of mormon studies, nov. New discoveries in dna research currently allow scientists to test this historical claim. Book of mormon and dna studies as recent as 2005 i was taught by a 35 year old at the timemormon missionary from poland that american indians are the. That attention has swirled around declarations made by thomas w. The goal to share the lds churchs gospel topic essays and help. 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. New discoveries in dna research currently allow scientists to. Dna and the book of mormon record mormonism research.
This must mean that amerindians are not descended from book of mormon peoples, and the book of mormon is false. If the book of mormon is false, joseph smith was not a prophet. Would dna analysis show as taught by the book of mormon that many american indians are descended from ancient. On january 31, 2014, the lds church published an essay entitled book of mormon and dna studies in the gospel topics series on its. In this second half of the essay, i deal directly with this confusion, arguing for the importance of weighing dna and other studies against what the book of mormon actually says about itself instead of against what others say that it sayseven if those ex. On january 31st the church of jesus christ of latterday saints published a new gospel topics page on the official church website entitled book of mormon and dna studies. At the time he angrily defended the book of mormon and hinted that. We continue our tour of the gospel topics essays and with the essay book of mormon and dna studies. Sorenson molecular genealogy foundation book of mormon.
In this second half of the essay, i deal directly with this confusion, arguing for the importance of weighing dna and other studies. 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. Is there dna evidence between native americans and the lamanites. Nothing in the book of mormon precludes migration into the americas by peoples of asiatic origin1. Mormons and mitochondrial dna by chad ressler in august 2004 simon southerton released a book entitled losing a lost tribe. Dna samples taken from modern american indians show no connection to the dna of the peoples of the middle east. In this article, we will provide some background on this issue focusing on the book of mormon itself, followed by a point by point response to various statements made in the essay about the book of mormon. 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 emphasis added. Murphy, a doctoral candidate in anthropology, and current chair of the anthropology department at edmonds community college in washington. Up until very recently there has been very little support for this claim found in the dna sequencing of native americans.
What has been the response to the new lds essay topic that. Ricks, the journal of book of mormon studies is the leading venue for scholarly work on the book of mormon. The study of human dna and genetics can be intellectually fascinating, but it also has plenty of practical applications. On january 31st the church of jesus christ of latterday saints published a new gospel topics page on the official church website entitled book of mormon. In an essay titled does the dna evidence refute the book of mormon. It is an article titled book of mormon and dna studies. Dna studies certainly dont affirm the book of mormons authenticity claims, but they absolutely can and do refute them. This page is an appendix to dna and the book of mormon.
Dna controversy is an issue that most critics believe completely undermines mormon beliefs in the truthfulness of the book. Book of mormon dna mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. Book of mormon and dna stuff you missed in sunday school. Respected dna scientists, geneticists, and book of mormon scholars provide their views on dna and the book of mormon. Sorenson molecular genealogy foundation book of mormon and dna. Latterday saints see the possibility of other groups. 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 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 book of mormon and dna studies religious tolerance. Dna vs book of mormon incredible new evidence that proves the book of mormon. The dna challenge to the book of mormon that fizzled. I have watched more than 20 hours of wayne may book of mormon lecture videos and conversed with both wayne may and rod meldrum in person.
The criticism of the mormon church is the following. Both lehis and ishmaels families are from the semitic tribe of joseph who married asenath, an egyptian. The article book of mormon and dna studies gives an explanation of the limitations of population genetics and dna science. Mormon scientist jeff lindsay wrote, for the book of mormon, it now appears that a nineteenthcentury. This interpretation, still dominant among members of the lds church, remained in the introduction to the book of mormon until recently. The article urges caution in attempting to use dna evidence to bolster the historical authenticity of the book of mormon. A new page posted on the lds churchs website says dna studies cannot decisively affirm or reject the historical authenticity of the book of mormon. 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. 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. The topic of dna research is a timely one, as are the compelling views presented in this book. Finally, the last two sources are the gospel topics essay book of mormon and dna studies and a blog post by simon southerton, an excommunicated former latterday saint with training in. Dna and the book of mormon archives mormon stories essays. 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.
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. Dna evidence and molecular genetics disprove the book of mormon. Book of mormon and dna studies by michael degroote mormon times and deseret news february 4, 2014 february 4th, 2014. Attacks on the validity of the book of mormon using dna data dna studies by two investigators. Dna and the book of mormon, copied to clipboard see. Sep 08, 2016 response to the essay book of mormon and dna studies in the rest of this article, we will comment on specific statements in the essay book of mormon and dna studies pertaining to what it says about the science of dna research as it applies to the issues raised by the book of mormon. For these same reasons, arguments that some defenders of the book of mormon make based on dna studies are also speculative.
The book of mormon and the new world dna deseret book. The controversy arises from dna studies of native american peoples. 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. Feb 01, 2014 to paraphrase sam harris, the article has an extravagance of claims and a paucity of evidence in fact, there is no evidence for the book of mormon story as historical. The book of mormon and the origin of native americans from a. Analysis of these lineages can therefore be structured hierarchically in a. The book of mormon claims that a family left jerusalem and traveled to somewhere in the western hemisphere. Excerpt from the book of mormon and dna studies, lds gospel topic essay. Book of mormon and dna studies book of mormon and dna studies, gospel topics essays 2016 the church of jesus christ of latterday saints affirms that the book of mormon is a.
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. The videos arguing that dna disproves the book of mormon have been circulating for many years. Especially in light of these recent dna studies, book of mormon critics have leapt on the idea that joseph smith and mormons believed abraham is the only ancestor of the native. Book of mormon studies and dna gospel topic page on published january 2014. He insightfully addresses the tension between science and religion as he.
Nothing is known about the dna of book of mormon peoples, and even if their genetic profile were known, there are sound scientific reasons that it might remain undetected. His attempt was to make the case that dna studies do indeed prove the validity, accuracy, and historicity of the book of mormon. 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. Dr ugo perego, a respected population geneticist, speaks at the fairmormon conference in kungsbacka, sweden, 18 june 2016. Dna evidence and molecular genetics disprove the book of mormon by rich deem introduction. Thomas murphys analysis of dna data a number of investigators have.
Studies of the book of mormon is a collection of essays written at the beginning of the 20th century though not published until 1985 by b. Mar 26, 2016 the material below covers the geography of the book of mormon in north america. Does dna evidence prove the book of mormon to be false. I argue that dna testing challenges some common faulty assumptions some people have made about the book of mormon, but does not attack the text itself. From the use of dna in court cases to the discovery of new therapies for genetic diseases, a thorough understanding of the human genome can have important medical, social and legal impacts.
Nov 06, 2006 the book of mormon teaches that these israelites are the principal ancestors of modernday native americans. Misguided attempts by latterday saints to use dna to prove that the book of mormon is true should be very carefully reconsidered. Ash september, 2015 the following series of articles is a fictional dialogue between shane and. I met woodward when i visited the sorenson molecular genealogy foundation smgf in salt lake city a few years ago. The church of jesus christ of latter day saints teaches that all the native american tribes are descended from a jewish family who came to these uninhabited.
The book of mormon teaches that these israelites are the principal ancestors of modernday native americans. Nothing is known about the dna of book of mormon peoples. Jan, 2016 dna vs book of mormon incredible new evidence that proves the book of mormon. While dna shows that ultimately all human populations are closely related, to date no intimate genetic link has been found between ancient israelites and indigenous americans, much less within the time frame suggested in the book of mormon.
The essay asserts that dna studies cannot be used decisively to either affirm or reject the historical authenticity of the book of mormon. The focus of the 2001 fair conference was the book of mormon, and with the rise of genetic studies of native american mdna that have been reported in various press and media outlets, dr. The dna challenge to the book of mormon that fizzled by michael r. The purported historical narrative of the book of mormon presents an account of the origins of native american peoples that differs dramatically from the consensus position taken by scientists, including geneticists who study dna. The importance of studying human dna genetics sciencing. During the past few years, i have been reading extensively about dna testing and particularly about its relationship to genealogy or family history. At the time he angrily defended the book of mormon and hinted that smgf scientists were finding exciting new evidence that supported the book of mormon must be still finding it. In the last few years, the topic of how dna research fits in with the text of the book of mormon has become increasingly divisive. As far as antimormon claims are concerned, the antimormon critics had been jumping to conclusions based on lowresolution dna tests that are used for population studies. The controversy stems from dna studies of native american peoples.
The lds church released an essay on their website titled book of mormon and dna studies. May 19, 2018 the haplogroups most commonly studied are ychromosome ydna haplogroups and mitochondrial dna mtdna haplogroups, both of which can be used in determining genetic dispersion in population studies. I found the article very interesting to read and it. Book of mormon and dna studies dow nloaded from 4252016. Thomas murphy, mormon anthropologist, american apocrypha, 2002, p. Dna studies and the book of mormon there has been a tremendous flurry of media attention over the scientific study of human genetic inheritance and the book of mormon. An essay on book of mormon and dna studies was added on 114 in the topical guide of the website. Woodwards presentation on the subject of dna and the book of mormon was timely and extremely enlightening for those in attendance. While critics may believe that book of mormon dna testing entirely undermines mormon beliefs, it is important to realize that some underlying assumptions may have lead to faulty conclusions. 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. In recent years, many have wondered what dna studies might contribute to understanding book of mormon origins. Now, for the first time in one volume, respected dna.
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. As the article puts it, in short, dna studies cannot be used decisively to either affirm or reject the historical authenticity of the book of mormon. Sep 19, 2009 last wednesday, rod meldrum visited nauvoo and gave a presentation on dna and the book of mormon. January 2, 1983 by ben crowder book of mormon dna studies, book of mormon geography, book of mormon language study, brian stubbs, dna studies and the book of mormon. In 2014 the church quietly published book of mormon and dna studies, an essay which distills an avalanche of mormon apologetics published solely in lds journals, and attempts to address. Dna vs book of mormon incredible new evidence youtube. While critics may believe that book of mormon dna testing entirely undermines mormon beliefs, it is important to realize that some underlying assumptions may. In short, dna studies cannot be used decisively to either affirm or reject the historical authenticity of the book of mormon. Dna evidence of the book of mormon in north america, linking.
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