Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

DNA Science Challenges LDS History
Christian Research Institute ^ | 2004 | Bill McKeever

Posted on 01/17/2012 5:59:43 PM PST by dragonblustar

DNA evidence is offering a serious challenge to the Mormon claim that Native Americans are descended from Hebrew colonizers who came to the Americas around the time Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians hundreds of years before Christ.

Mormonism’s founder, Joseph Smith, claimed that an angel named Moroni appeared to him when he was 17 and told him of golden plates buried in a stone box near his family’s home in Palmyra, New York. The angel also told Smith that the plates contained an “account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang.” Smith retrieved the plates, and his translation of them was published in 1830 and titled the Book of Mormon.

The title page of the Book of Mormon states it is “an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites — written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel.” The main theme of the book revolves around the descendents of a prophet named Lehi, who was a descendent of the biblical Manasseh, according to Alma 10:3. Nephi and Laman, two of Lehi’s sons, play principal roles at the beginning of the book. Nephi is described as the righteous son of Lehi while Laman is described as wicked. As a result of his evil behavior, Laman and those who followed him were cursed with dark skin. Many Mormons believe Native Americans are the dark-skinned descendents of the Lamanites.

(Excerpt) Read more at equip.org ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Education; History; Religion
KEYWORDS: dna; history; lds; mormon
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-47 next last
Several anthropologists, biologists, and geneticists have challenged this assumption, but probably none have gained more notoriety in recent months than Thomas Murphy, chairman of the Department of Anthropology at Edmonds Community College in Lynnwood, Washington. What makes his claims so intriguing is that he is a member of the Mormon Church.

Murphy insists that the Book of Mormon, touted by fellow members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) as the “most correct book on earth,” is incorrect when it claims that Native Americans are of Jewish descent. In a 2002 essay titled “Lamanite Genesis, Genealogy, and Genetics,” he stated, “So far, DNA research lends no support to traditional Mormon beliefs about the origins of Native Americans.”

1 posted on 01/17/2012 5:59:48 PM PST by dragonblustar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: dragonblustar
"I'm Jeff Ricks and I'm a Post Mormon."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFi_MsVKD3Q&feature=related

2 posted on 01/17/2012 6:01:13 PM PST by dragonblustar (Allah Ain't So Akbar!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dragonblustar

17? Nope. The account of the first version of the first vision J Smith was 14, but hey he only had fourteen versions of the first visions...so who knows for sure.


3 posted on 01/17/2012 6:03:42 PM PST by svcw (For the new year: you better toughen up, if you are going to continue to be stupid.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dragonblustar
"My name is James and I'm an Ex Mormon."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gighgsJ_r_I&feature=related

4 posted on 01/17/2012 6:04:05 PM PST by dragonblustar (Allah Ain't So Akbar!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: svcw
but hey he only had fourteen versions of the first visions...so who knows for sure.

Isn't that funny. Mormons think the bible can't be trusted because it's old and has been edited so many times yet they embrace the different accounts of Joseph Smith's visions.

5 posted on 01/17/2012 6:08:36 PM PST by dragonblustar (Allah Ain't So Akbar!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: dragonblustar

Basically a cult. This is why there are so few true intellectuals, scientists, philosophers and statesmen who are Mormons.


6 posted on 01/17/2012 6:20:50 PM PST by Steelfish (ui)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

So true.


7 posted on 01/17/2012 6:27:12 PM PST by dragonblustar (Allah Ain't So Akbar!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

Ex-Mormon testimony with some excellent links:

http://www.faithfacts.org/world-religions-and-theology/ex-mormon-testimony.


8 posted on 01/17/2012 6:32:20 PM PST by grumpa
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: grumpa

That’s a great link! Thanks for sharing!!


9 posted on 01/17/2012 6:36:57 PM PST by dragonblustar (Allah Ain't So Akbar!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: dragonblustar
Isn't this sort of like testing the moon rocks to be sure they aren't made of green cheese?

Anwyay, does anyone have DNA from Israelites of the 7th century B.C. to compare the DNA of American Indians to?

10 posted on 01/17/2012 6:56:56 PM PST by Verginius Rufus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Verginius Rufus

So, basically, American Indians are Jews? Come on already! Does anyone really believe this? You mean to tell me that the Jews...Sold Manhattan...to the Dutch for 24 dollars worth of beads and trinkets?!! Heh Heh! Right...Good one!


11 posted on 01/17/2012 7:12:11 PM PST by Torahman (Remember the Maccabees!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Torahman

They didn’t own it.


12 posted on 01/17/2012 7:15:09 PM PST by meatloaf
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish
YOU WATCHING THIS BECAUSE OF LDS SCIENTISTS.

http://patents.justia.com/inventor/ARTHURDHUNTERJR.html

http://famousmormons.net/inventors.html

http://famousmormons.net/inventors.html

http://famousmormons.net/computers.html

13 posted on 01/17/2012 7:41:21 PM PST by BlueMoose
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: svcw

17? Yes. This is talking about the visit from Moroni, not the “first vision” that happened when he was around 14.


14 posted on 01/17/2012 7:44:42 PM PST by T. P. Pole
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: svcw

17? Yes. This is talking about the visit from Moroni, not the “first vision” that happened when he was around 14.


15 posted on 01/17/2012 7:45:01 PM PST by T. P. Pole
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: T. P. Pole

Well, considering every time J Smith told his first version story (fourteen versions) it was different being(s) who appeared....one two three or was it one.....
No wonder I was confused.


16 posted on 01/17/2012 7:57:44 PM PST by svcw (For the new year: you better toughen up, if you are going to continue to be stupid.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

Freepers!

All contributions are for the Current Quarter Expenses.
In other words, FR could go away if the expenses for this quarter are not met.
Where would you go?

Click here or mail checks to:

Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794



17 posted on 01/17/2012 7:59:04 PM PST by RedMDer (Forward With Confidence!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Torahman
Does anyone really believe this?

I assume Mormons do. I don't.

But to say there is DNA evidence disproving it requires assuming that modern-day Jews are descended from the ancient Israelites (that's a very reasonable belief based on what we know of Jewish history, and I think the DNA studies so far support it, but it's not like 2 + 2 = 4). If any American Indians have Jewish ancestry, it's from Jews who came to the New World after 1492.

18 posted on 01/17/2012 8:24:13 PM PST by Verginius Rufus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Torahman; svcw; Godzilla; aMorePerfectUnion; colorcountry; SZonian; SENTINEL; Degaston; ...

Mormons believe it. Of course they also believe that the Garden of Eden was in Missiouri (I’m not kidding).

I am reaganaut, and I am an ex-Mormon.


19 posted on 01/17/2012 8:38:21 PM PST by reaganaut (If Romney is a conservative then IÂ’m the frickin Angel Moroni.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: BlueMoose; Steelfish

Steelfish you might (actually) enjoy these videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Mzm0LovPH4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZcBr4OS_dU


20 posted on 01/17/2012 8:53:37 PM PST by svcw (For the new year: you better toughen up, if you are going to continue to be stupid.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-47 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson