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The Book of Mormon and DNA Research
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. Now, for the first time in one volume, respected DNA scientists, geneticists, and Book of Mormon scholars provide their views on DNA and the Book of Mormon.
- GenresReligion
287 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 22, 2022
For years, people have been trying to discredit the Book Of Mormon by saying the DNA research disproves it. Personally, I accept the truthfulness of the Book as a matter of faith, but it's still fun to speculate about what happened to the Nephites, Lamanites, Jaredites, etc. I came up with my own little theories based on other reading about DNA and human migration (small population extinction, absorption into larger groups, etc.)I was gratified to find them put forth as plausible in this book of collected essays by Mormon scholars put together by the Neal Maxwell Institute. I was happy to see that the DNA research is taken seriously by Mormon scientists and that they can and do answer the detractors with good, hard science in respected journals. Since the essays were written by different people, originally for different audiences, there is an excellent meld of serious science laced with humor and sometimes a touch of sarcasm. Bottom line? Believing the Book of Mormon is true is still a matter of faith, and it hasn't been disproved by DNA testing.
September 16, 2017
This book should really be titled "Muddying the Waters: Why Epistemological Trickery Teaches Us That We Can't Definitively Know Anything About Anything."
The brethren who present their views in this compilation of nonsense flatly reject the majority LDS view of who exactly the Lamanites are. Jeffrey Meldrum and his limited geography model would be unfamiliar to most in-the-pew Mormons, who, like myself, are very well acquainted with the words of various prophets and apostles on this matter. The following quote shows perhaps a willing ignorance on the issue, "A tradition apparently has persisted in the Latter-day Saint community, from the time the Book of Mormon first appeared in print in the 19th century, that all Native Americans are Lehi's direct descendants" (161). One need only look at Spencer W. Kimball's talk "The Day of the Lamanites" to see that this was not merely a spurious tradition, it was the firm belief of the majority of the church from 1830 to 2007 (when the "among the ancestors" change appeared in the BoM) and beyond. As recently as 2011, President Uchtdorf declared the crowd gathered at a Guatemalan temple dedication to be, "Truly children of our wonderful Father Lehi" (From the Church News article "Children of Lehi Share Their Cultural Heritage").
The reasons why the apologists in this compilation appear ignorant of common Mormon belief is not at all confusing. They are aware of the DNA evidence which appears to contradict Book of Mormon claims, and they have taken up the fight to maintain belief at all costs (that is, after all, the primary function of apologetics). If there are waters which can be muddied, they do all in their power to muddy them. Unfortunately, what we are left with after their little slight of hand is completed is a view of Mormonism which is wholly unfamiliar to Mormons themselves.
What this work absolutely fails to address is the fact that chapel Mormons and their divinely-inspired leaders were absolutely sure of the identity of the Lamanites for more than 150 years before the DNA challenge to the Book of Mormon even needed to addressed. When you disregard the firm belief of millions of your fellow Mormons, one is left to wonder at the enormous cost of your apologetic trickery. It would be so much better to just remain on the faith train and claim, "There will be evidence for our belief someday, but not today." When the apologists enter the world of actual scientific discussion, it quickly becomes apparent that they haven't a leg to stand on. All they are relying on are claims that we don't know who anyone is, where they come from, and why DNA doesn't show us what we think it does. This acquired ignorance when the facts contradict belief is at least suspicious if not absolute proof of high levels of cognitive dissonance. Interestingly, the cognitive dissonance disappears when one accepts that the Book of Mormon is not at all historical.
The brethren who present their views in this compilation of nonsense flatly reject the majority LDS view of who exactly the Lamanites are. Jeffrey Meldrum and his limited geography model would be unfamiliar to most in-the-pew Mormons, who, like myself, are very well acquainted with the words of various prophets and apostles on this matter. The following quote shows perhaps a willing ignorance on the issue, "A tradition apparently has persisted in the Latter-day Saint community, from the time the Book of Mormon first appeared in print in the 19th century, that all Native Americans are Lehi's direct descendants" (161). One need only look at Spencer W. Kimball's talk "The Day of the Lamanites" to see that this was not merely a spurious tradition, it was the firm belief of the majority of the church from 1830 to 2007 (when the "among the ancestors" change appeared in the BoM) and beyond. As recently as 2011, President Uchtdorf declared the crowd gathered at a Guatemalan temple dedication to be, "Truly children of our wonderful Father Lehi" (From the Church News article "Children of Lehi Share Their Cultural Heritage").
The reasons why the apologists in this compilation appear ignorant of common Mormon belief is not at all confusing. They are aware of the DNA evidence which appears to contradict Book of Mormon claims, and they have taken up the fight to maintain belief at all costs (that is, after all, the primary function of apologetics). If there are waters which can be muddied, they do all in their power to muddy them. Unfortunately, what we are left with after their little slight of hand is completed is a view of Mormonism which is wholly unfamiliar to Mormons themselves.
What this work absolutely fails to address is the fact that chapel Mormons and their divinely-inspired leaders were absolutely sure of the identity of the Lamanites for more than 150 years before the DNA challenge to the Book of Mormon even needed to addressed. When you disregard the firm belief of millions of your fellow Mormons, one is left to wonder at the enormous cost of your apologetic trickery. It would be so much better to just remain on the faith train and claim, "There will be evidence for our belief someday, but not today." When the apologists enter the world of actual scientific discussion, it quickly becomes apparent that they haven't a leg to stand on. All they are relying on are claims that we don't know who anyone is, where they come from, and why DNA doesn't show us what we think it does. This acquired ignorance when the facts contradict belief is at least suspicious if not absolute proof of high levels of cognitive dissonance. Interestingly, the cognitive dissonance disappears when one accepts that the Book of Mormon is not at all historical.
August 12, 2017
fascinating research/essays by various experts in the fields of DNA analysis, linguistic development, and population trends in regard to examining the connection of Book of Mormon peoples and Amerindian populations. Critics of the Book of Mormon cite a study in 1986 where Amerindian DNA was traceable to 3 Asian groups but then a 1993 study expanded that to over 35 hits. By 2004, Polynesian and western European traces were found as the number of Amerindian participants increased. The bottom line is that DNA research is barely in its infancy and since there's no Lehite DNA to compare modern samples to, there's no way to prove one way or another.
January 5, 2009
Because I gave money to the Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship I got a copy of the new book The Book of Mormon and DNA Research in the mail last month. In the introduction Daniel C. Peterson Quotes Hugh Nibley: “The normal way of dealing with the Book of Mormon ‘scientifically’ has been first to attribute to the Book of Mormon something it did not say, and then to refute the claim by scientific statements that have not been proven.” This book shows how the recent “DNA evidence” against the Book of Mormon does exactly this. It contains 10 essays, many by renowned geneticists and biologists. It challenges the conclusions of those who have tried to disprove the veracity of the Book of Mormon by comparing the DNA of modern Native Americans with that of modern Jews and Middle Easterners. It shows how the Book of Mormon provides no testable hypothesis for DNA research. At best, DNA evidence has disproved the Global Colonization Hypothesis, that every Native American in North and South America at the time of Columbus was a direct descendant of the groups in the Book of Mormon, a hypothesis that no serious student of the Book of Mormon has believed for years. I recommend this book to anyone who has had questions about DNA and the Book of Mormon. I also recommend the DVD DNA Evidence for Book of Mormon Geography for anyone who is interested in speculative evidence that may actually support the Book of Mormon (although FAIR and FARMs are attacking this poor guy like sharks now).
October 14, 2008
Although I have not read this book in particular it is a reproduction of the articles from the _Journal of Book of Mormon Studies_ and the _FARMS Review_ all of which I have read. The articles are superb. They are well-researched and informative and dispel the misconception that DNA can do anything to discredit the Book of Mormon. Of course, for that matter DNA does nothing in support of the Book of Mormon either. It's simply a non-issue. Anyone concerns that the issue of DNA and it's relationship to the Book of Mormon text should give this a read.
September 2, 2024
The examination of DNA evidence in relation to Book of Mormon claims about being descendants of the House of Israel and modern technology. The scientific evidence explains the basic assumptions and arguments for the claims and make it approachable for average readers. The evolving nature of DNA research and expanding databases will continue to fill in the genealogical lineages and how mankind is related to common ancestors.
August 18, 2012
"The normal way of dealing with the Book of Mormon 'scientifically' has been first to attribute to the Book of Mormon something it did not say, and then to refute the claim by scientific statements that have not been proven." --Hugh Nibley, 1967
February 4, 2012
Interesting but many of the essays were repetitive. All in all it was worth reading...
April 12, 2013
Cool studies, definitely worth taking a look at for a contemporary view of where the Book of Mormon fits into our scientific understanding.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews