Difference between revisions of "Book of Mormon DNA"
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For more than fifty years, serious students of the Book of Mormon have read that book with an understanding of these limitations, though most Mormons merely read the book as the spiritual and doctrinal resource that it is, rather than extensively pondering the unspecific geographic implications of the prophetic writings. Moreover, speculative geographic musings promulgated extensively in print (Washburn, 1939; Cheesman, 1974; Cheesman, 1984)and film ("Ancient America Speaks") during the same years may have distracted people from this spiritual purpose while explicitly suggesting the plausibility of a location in Mesoamerica. Such materials suggest that archaeological and anthropological correlations to Book of Mormon events and persons should strengthen one's spiritual belief in the book, but this idea remains debatable. | For more than fifty years, serious students of the Book of Mormon have read that book with an understanding of these limitations, though most Mormons merely read the book as the spiritual and doctrinal resource that it is, rather than extensively pondering the unspecific geographic implications of the prophetic writings. Moreover, speculative geographic musings promulgated extensively in print (Washburn, 1939; Cheesman, 1974; Cheesman, 1984)and film ("Ancient America Speaks") during the same years may have distracted people from this spiritual purpose while explicitly suggesting the plausibility of a location in Mesoamerica. Such materials suggest that archaeological and anthropological correlations to Book of Mormon events and persons should strengthen one's spiritual belief in the book, but this idea remains debatable. | ||
| − | + | Apologetics involving archaeology and anthropology present an interesting conundrum. On the one hand, apologists can pursue actively the historicity of the Book of Mormon. As they do so, they are likely to be disappointed when current evidence contradicts or downplays specific avenues of study. For example, studies dating the construction of Machu Picchu to circa 1450 A.D. exclude this site from the time frame of the Book of Mormon. This has been a popular site for those interested in Book of Mormon geography. On the other hand, apologists can avoid the pursuit of historicity and base their faith solely on the gospel content of the book. As they do so, they are likely to be unprepared when people try to draw them away from the Church with persuasive research. Both paths suggest, however, that Church members would do well to know current research and issues in this area of study. | |
There is nothing about the Book of Mormon, other than the assertion in the [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/introduction Introduction], that is undermined by DNA studies. The translated ancient text of the book itself does not claim to stand in opposition to scientific theories that say most Native Americans are derived from northeast Asia over a land bridge. It merely claims to be the writings of a few specific groups of people who migrated and lived in the Western Hemisphere during a limited period of time. In order for DNA testing to have any hold on these assertions, it would be necessary to prove that never, at any point during the time period of 600 A.D. to 400 B.C. was there any group living in the Western Hemisphere who came from the Middle Eastern region, and that a migration into the mountains of Asia by a group of Israelites could not possibly explain the DNA similarities between the two populations. Obviously such assertions would be nearly impossible to justify without having their entire genealogical record. | There is nothing about the Book of Mormon, other than the assertion in the [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/introduction Introduction], that is undermined by DNA studies. The translated ancient text of the book itself does not claim to stand in opposition to scientific theories that say most Native Americans are derived from northeast Asia over a land bridge. It merely claims to be the writings of a few specific groups of people who migrated and lived in the Western Hemisphere during a limited period of time. In order for DNA testing to have any hold on these assertions, it would be necessary to prove that never, at any point during the time period of 600 A.D. to 400 B.C. was there any group living in the Western Hemisphere who came from the Middle Eastern region, and that a migration into the mountains of Asia by a group of Israelites could not possibly explain the DNA similarities between the two populations. Obviously such assertions would be nearly impossible to justify without having their entire genealogical record. | ||
Revision as of 13:11, 13 November 2007
The Book of Mormon vs. DNA controversy is an issue that most critics believe completely undermines Mormon beliefs in the truthfulness of the book. The controversy stems from DNA studies of Native American peoples. Critics claim that such studies prove conclusively that there is no evidence of a Middle Eastern strand within the Native American gene pool. Book of Mormon DNA research
What does this claim have to do with the factuality of a religious text? Some background information will illuminate the subject and the reasons behind the debate.
The Book of Mormon is a religious record that was published in 1830 by Joseph Smith, the founder and prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--or the Mormon Church as it has been unofficially dubbed. The Book of Mormon professes a story which outlines three migrations from the Old World to the New, more specifically from regions of the Middle East over to the American continent. The most prominent migration begins with the family of a man named Lehi. It was about 600 B.C. when Lehi's group left Jerusalem and set sail for an unknown "promised land." Their ship landed somewhere in the Western Hemisphere, though the exact location is unknown.
Perhaps the controversy begins with an unofficial and individually assumed idea about the geographical location of the events portrayed in the Book of Mormon. Many Mormons and non-Mormons have read the book and assumed that no one else was on the American continent when Lehi and his company arrived. Since the book describes no encounters with any other people than the Jaredites and Mulekites, it would be easy to assume Lehi and his wife were the parents of all human inhabitants in North and South America. This idea was previously (1981-2006) asserted in the Introduction to the Book of Mormon. The high numbers of people mentioned in the book as well as the assertion in the Introduction make it easy to think that this group of people and their operations must have encompassed the whole of the western hemisphere. If these underlying assumptions were justifiable, then any ancient inhabitant of the Americas-–as well as their descendants–-should rightly have genetic tracings to the Middle Eastern world since Lehi and his company originated there. The fact that DNA testing of Native Americans points to Asian roots has caused many critics to declare without reservation that the the Book of Mormon has been proven false.
However, since the notion of Lehi's group being the only one to discover and populate the entire Western Hemisphere and to cover all of South, Central, and North America is highly improbable, nor is it consistent with the book itself, we ought not assume that this is factual. According to experts, it is more likely that Lehi and his family were merely a limited, yet isolated addition to an extensive population already present in the Americas. It is believed, though not certain, that the Book of Mormon population was limited to Mesoamerica, ranging in the hundreds of miles, not thousands.
In light of these conclusions, it is important to note that the Book of Mormon was written to be a spiritual text, not a record of the geographical or demographical facts of the ancient American peoples. It is also important to remember that the bulk of the Book of Mormon covers a limited time period, from about 600 B.C. to 400 A.D. Understanding the location and the degree to which the Book of Mormon people populated the land is very difficult to surmise with certainty.
For more than fifty years, serious students of the Book of Mormon have read that book with an understanding of these limitations, though most Mormons merely read the book as the spiritual and doctrinal resource that it is, rather than extensively pondering the unspecific geographic implications of the prophetic writings. Moreover, speculative geographic musings promulgated extensively in print (Washburn, 1939; Cheesman, 1974; Cheesman, 1984)and film ("Ancient America Speaks") during the same years may have distracted people from this spiritual purpose while explicitly suggesting the plausibility of a location in Mesoamerica. Such materials suggest that archaeological and anthropological correlations to Book of Mormon events and persons should strengthen one's spiritual belief in the book, but this idea remains debatable.
Apologetics involving archaeology and anthropology present an interesting conundrum. On the one hand, apologists can pursue actively the historicity of the Book of Mormon. As they do so, they are likely to be disappointed when current evidence contradicts or downplays specific avenues of study. For example, studies dating the construction of Machu Picchu to circa 1450 A.D. exclude this site from the time frame of the Book of Mormon. This has been a popular site for those interested in Book of Mormon geography. On the other hand, apologists can avoid the pursuit of historicity and base their faith solely on the gospel content of the book. As they do so, they are likely to be unprepared when people try to draw them away from the Church with persuasive research. Both paths suggest, however, that Church members would do well to know current research and issues in this area of study.
There is nothing about the Book of Mormon, other than the assertion in the Introduction, that is undermined by DNA studies. The translated ancient text of the book itself does not claim to stand in opposition to scientific theories that say most Native Americans are derived from northeast Asia over a land bridge. It merely claims to be the writings of a few specific groups of people who migrated and lived in the Western Hemisphere during a limited period of time. In order for DNA testing to have any hold on these assertions, it would be necessary to prove that never, at any point during the time period of 600 A.D. to 400 B.C. was there any group living in the Western Hemisphere who came from the Middle Eastern region, and that a migration into the mountains of Asia by a group of Israelites could not possibly explain the DNA similarities between the two populations. Obviously such assertions would be nearly impossible to justify without having their entire genealogical record.
And so we are left where the Book of Mormon authors intended us to be: in a realm of faith. Mormons believe that the book was written by ancient prophets who recorded their faith and the words of the Lord. They, like the prophets in the Old and New Testament, were given revelations and instructions directly from God. Those things were recorded for the benefit and learning of future generations, that their descendants, all the house of Israel, and all Gentiles seeking the gospel might believe in Jesus Christ as the living son of God and the Savior of the world. One Book of Mormon prophet writes, "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophecy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." 2 Nephi 25:26
Reading the Book of Mormon and asking God if it is true is the only way to really know. Any other attempt will yield uncertain results. If God is the author of the book, then humble seekers will receive a confirmation from Him that the book is true. Request a Free Book of Mormon, no obligations.
- Is there any conflict between science and religion? There is no conflict in the mind of God, but often there is conflict in the minds of men. -Henry Eyring
References
Wahsburn, J.N. (1939) Book of Mormon Geography. New Era Publishing Company, Provo, UT.
Cheesman, P.R. (1974)These early Americans;: External evidences of the Book of Mormon. Deseret Book, Salt Lake City.
Whittaker, S. (Director, 1974) "Ancient America Speaks." Brigham Young University.
Cheesman, P.R. (1984)The world of the Book of Mormon. Deseret Book, Salt Lake City.
For More Information
- The Historicity of the Book of Mormon talk given by Dallin H. Oaks
Resources:
A Brief Review of Murphy and Southerton's "Galileo Event" by Kevin L. Barney
A Few Thoughts From a Believing DNA Scientist. John M. Butler. Provo, Utah: FARMS, 2003. Pp. 36–37
Detecting Lehi's Genetic Signature: Possible, Probable, or Not? Reviewed By: David A. McClellan. Provo, Utah: FARMS, 2003. Pp. 35–90
DNA and the Book of Mormon by David Stewart, M.D
Nephi's Neighbors: Book of Mormon Peoples and Pre-Columbian Populations. Matthew Roper
