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The LDS Restorationist movement,
including the Mormon churches

Attacks on the validity of the
Book of Mormon using DNA data

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Overview:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other denominations in the LDS Restorationist movement have taught that Native Americans are descendents of three groups of ancient Israelites who came to the new world:

bullet The Jaredite people came to Central America circa 2250 BCE but were totally destroyed because of their corruption.
bullet Lehi arrived in America circa 600 BCE. Descendents of his two sons, Nephi and Laman became the Nephites and the Lamanites. The Lamanites exterminated most of the Nephites circa 385 CE, and became the ancestors of present day Native Americans.

The belief that Natives are descendents of Jews was commonly accepted in the early 19th century when the Book of Mormon was published. The idea has since gone out of fashion except among the Mormons.

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.

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 by an angel. This has caused some Mormons to depart from their faith.

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Topics covered in this section:

bullet Introduction
 
bullet DNA findings by investigators sceptical of the Book of Mormon
 
bullet Defense of the Book of Mormon by Mormon academics
 
bullet Comments by academics & laity
 

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Site navigation:

 Home page > Christianity > Christian faith groups > LDS > here

Home page > Christianity > Denominational families > LDS > here

 Home page >  Christianity > Bible & the world > Archaeology > here

 Home page >  Religion & science > Archaeology > here

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Copyright 1999 to 2005, by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally written: 1999-NOV-28.
Latest update: 2005-OCT-17
Author: B.A. Robinson

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