The value of dna evidence book of mormon geography

The book of mormon, the founding document of the latter day saint movement and one of the. While evidence against the book of mormon and its miraculous origins has. Archaeological and historical evidence dna and the book. Dna analysis has concluded that native american indians do not originate from the middle east or from israelites but rather from asia.

Another way of explaining the strength of the positive position on the historicity of the book of mormon is to point out that we who are its proponents are content with a standoff on this question. The full paper also provides additional points at which the theories in dna evidence for book of mormon geography should be rejected. While the church has never taken an official position on the geography of the book of mormon contrary to insinuations or claims of some people. Does dna evidence prove the book of mormon to be false. Rod meldrum and book of mormon dna byu scholarsarchive. 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. 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. Church releases statement on book of mormon geography book. Dna evidence for book of mormon geography introduced the widely recognized heartland model geographya swelling movement within the church.

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. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints affirms that the book of mormon is a volume of sacred scripture comparable to the bible. Weighing dna evidence about the book of mormon may, 2009 by j. The dvd is based upon a popular presentation given in a number of fireside. Related topics including the book of mormon and dna. They found that the very small amount of middle eastern dna in these groups. Another testament of jesus christ, is true, not false. The controversy stems from dna studies of native american peoples. Dna evidence for book of mormon geography has been discontinued following over 60,000 copies being distributed over the past 7 years. The idea that america may have been overwhelmingly peopled by folks from northeastern asia. An excellent documentary by rod meldrum for new scientific support for the truthfulness of the book of mormon studying the correlation and verification through dna, prophetic, scriptural, historical, climatological, archaeological, social, and cultural evidence. National geographic society statement on the book of mormon national geographic society statement on the book of mormon language. Civilizations of their magnitude and duration would be expected to leave extensive archaeological records. Dna vs book of mormon incredible new evidence that proves the book of mormon.

The evidence for this conclusion, as has been addressed by many scholars, includes the limited geography of events and travel described in the text and a historical chronology consistent with the archaeological record of the region. Three great resources to debunk the dna vs book of mormon. Most mormons, taught that obedience is a key value, take the book of mormon as gods unerring word. Dna controversy is an issue that most critics believe completely undermines mormon beliefs in the truthfulness of the book. Correlation and verification through dna, prophetic, scriptural, historical, climatological, archaeological, social, and cultural evidence.

This is some heavy duty gaslighting and throwing the bom under the bus. There are differing views on the origin of the book of mormon. Dna evidence for book of mormon geography documentarytube. Dna evidence proves book of mormon claims about ancient. The book of mormon and the origin of native americans from a. He established the new world archaeological foundation, where his role as. They flatly reject the hemispheric geography, the view accepted by most mormons and all the prophets.

Four years before he was murdered, joseph smith read a book by john lloyd stephens then changed his mind claiming the geography of the book of mormon was never in north america but it occurred in mesoamerica because he read a book about maya ruins maya which were later determined in the 60s,70s, 80s, 90s by f. In other words, the sequence or order of the dna building blocks is different in particular regions of the cell, making each persons dna unique. For detailed maps see our book of mormon geography site. Although historians and archaeologists consider the book to be an anachronistic invention of joseph smith, many members of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church and other denominations of the latter day saint movement believe that it. Simon southerton submitted to us as to why he left mormonism due to dna evidence is at whyleft125. The value of dna evidence office for victims of crime. The essay also explains how the prophet joseph smith himself accepted what he felt was evidence of book of mormon civilizations in both north. What is the controversy about dna and the book of mormon and why is it important.

Critics claim that such studies prove conclusively that there is no evidence of a middle eastern strand within the native american gene pool. 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. National geographic responded that it does not know of anything found so far. Variations of this theory only include that the text is a divinely inspired narrative, regardless of its. Dna, geography, and the book of mormon aaron shafovaloff. In 2004, plant biologist simon southerton published a book that made a similar argument. National geographic society statement on the book of mormon. Start reading about the geography, names, places and events, that relate to modern day and book of mormon scripture. Rediscovering the bom remnant through dna book of mormon. Click to view on the internet rediscovering the book of mormon remnant through dna by rod meldrum.

The opponents of the historicity of the book of mormon must prove that the people whose religious life it records did not live anywhere in the americas. Reviews of dna evidence for book of mormon geography. Welcome to the dna evidence for book of mormon blog. It is commonly referred to as the hemispheric geography model because it locates. The book of mormon was released in march of 2003, the lds church was only beginning to wrestle with the implications of dna research that posed serious challenges to the historical validity of the book of mormon. Above all, were these words given by the gift and power of god. While the church has pinned its hopes on the work of limited geography apologetics, the essay makes no mention of geography at all. This book locates everything from the narrow neck, to zarahemla, from cumorah, to the land of promise, bountiful. The historicity of the book of mormon religious studies. 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. 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. 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 population genetics. Since the publication of the book of mormon in 1830, mormon archaeologists have attempted to find archaeological evidence to support it. The conclusion of dna evidence brings us the fascinating testimony of an exmormon.

This work is the sum of over four years of nearly continuous research into possible dna connections between the native american peoples, and the prophesied remnant of the house of israel as contained in the book of mormon. Home true book of mormon geography lands western new. Book of mormon evidence in american archaeology wayne may. The final test of our views of book of mormon geography will be archaeological work in the ground itself, ferguson wrote in 1951 to his friend. Miraculous origins theories generally accept joseph smiths own account, that he translated an ancient record compiled and abridged by mormon, a precolumbian resident of the western hemisphere. New scientific support for the truthfulness of the book of mormon. Dna vs book of mormon incredible new evidence general. Therefore, dna evidence collected from a crime scene can. It burrows into the historical foundations of the book of mormon, a 175yearold. The remainder of the video features interviews with experts in history, biology, anthropology, linguistics and archaeology.

Clark, archaeological trends and book of mormon origins, brigham young university studies 444 2005. Gods word is to be established by two or more witnesses 2 cor. New scientific support for the truthfulness of the book of. 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. In the book of mormon, the book of nephi tells the story of a hebrew family that flees the city of jerusalem around 600 b. Mormon church says it was an error in their come follow me manual that there was a curse of dark skin. 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. These are the core areas for the history of the book of mormon and is called the western new york model. A contemporary mormon view is that these civilizations rose and fell in mesoamerica. Seriously, though the fact that joseph seems to have considered zelph a lamanite means there is little reason to doubt the story based on either dna evidence or book of mormon geography. It has been replaced with the new 2 dvd set the american promised land covenant, which is the scriptural basis for the heartland model geography. New pieces of evidence from the this land series of books will give you new insight into the book of mormon.

Devout mormon, daniel peterson, a professor of asian and near eastern languages at brigham young university, said. Book of mormon and dna studies church of jesus christ. Why new testament words and phrases are in the book of mormon part 9. Whether book of mormon geography is extensive or limited or how much. This document is a partial analysis of the scholarly merits of the evidence and research used by rodney meldrum 1 in his firesides and dvd presentation, dna evidence for book of mormon geography. Watch as wayne may presents the parallels between the geography of the hopewell and adena civilizations and the book of mormon records. As the above logo depicts, we do respect this mandate, and our model is. The basic premise of the research engaged in by the author, rod meldrum, was that there was sufficient evidence in the book of mormon and from the prophet jos smith jr. How a mormon lawyer transformed archaeology in mexicoand. Na is a powerful investigative tool because, with the exception of identical twins, no two people have the same dna. Dna evidence for book of mormon geography miscellaneous. Welcome to the dna evidence for book of mormon blog filed under. Dna evidence for book of mormon geography by rod meldrum.

Book of mormon geography is extensive or limited or how much todays native americans reflect. Dna vs book of mormon incredible new evidence youtube. Hi, i just finished watching a dvd titled dna evidence for book of mormon geography. Part of this misunderstanding involves the issue of geography and scope of the book of mormon. Rodney, meldrum, buffalo evidence, dna evidence for book of mormon. Heartland model wayne may presents the supporting evidence for the heartland model, that the book of mormon nephites and jaredites lived in. The limited geography model of the book of mormon supports this position. The book of mormon is clear that it was a literal curse on their skin. Wikipedias other article on americas settlement does not. Attacks on the validity of the book of mormon using dna data support for the book of mormon by mormon academics. Discussion regarding the historicity of the book of mormon often focuses on archaeological issues, some of which relate to the large size and the long time span of the civilizations mentioned in the book.

It is important to remember that most dna apologists defending the book of mormon, do so on the assumption that lehi and his family made a small genetic impact in the americas. However, the book of mormon tells that through divine guidance, relatively small. Based on the same map, we see that the main river in the book of mormon called sidon, is the buffalo river. The book of mormon geography lands and map with dna evidence. There is generally no direct support amongst mainstream historians and archaeologists for the. Book of mormon dna evidence is the holy grail for mormons and antimormons alike. In early 2008 rodney meldrum published a dvd titled dna evidence for book of mormon geography.

Ces letter links to a poorly written wikipedia article as the basis of their sweeping claim. 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. Book of mormondna evidencegeography issues fairmormon. The book of mormon suggests that the original native americans descended from a.

If the findings and the conclusions of the research are correct, then the entire mormon belief system is based on a lie. Were talking about one guy here, and the book of mormon does talk about serious travel, even though the settlements it continues to cover were in a limited. 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. As we begin to explore mormon archaeology, it seems appropriate to introduce the fascinating history of thomas ferguson, an attorney by trade, whose true passion manifest as an amateur archaeologist who dedicated decades of his life to the search for evidence to validate the book of mormon as a historical record. In 2002, anthropologist thomas murphy published an essay in which he argued that dna evidence points to native americans being related to asians, and therefore this disproves the book of mormon. Youll find objective evidence of the book of mormon through my this land, multibook series.