MormonTimes.com: Raiders of the lost Book of Mormon DNA
"And 'X' never, ever, marks the spot." Indiana Jones
Rod Meldrum is like a latter-day Indiana Jones except he doesn't look the part at all. He is tall, in his 40s, and has a mustache more reminiscent of David Niven than Harrison Ford. And unlike Indy's adventures in the spider web-infested caves of Peru, Meldrum explores the mysteries of DNA, the Book of Mormon and geography in peer-reviewed journals and on scientific search engines.
If he is right, most theories about where the Book of Mormon took place are off by about 2,000 miles.
Meldrum saw an anti-Mormon banner at a 2003 church general conference that declared: "DNA Evidence Proves Book of Mormon Wrong!" The critics claimed the Book of Mormon says American Indians were only descended from migrations from the Middle East. They then argued DNA studies showed American Indians have only Asian DNA markers.
This didn't bother Meldrum. As early as the 1920s, LDS scholars had recognized that the Book of Mormon not only allowed for but also gave strong hints that the Americas were populated long before the Book of Mormon prophet Lehi led his people from Jerusalem to the Americas by boat in 600 B.C.
What troubled Meldrum was that most of the responses from the LDS community were highly technical explanations why no DNA related to Book of Mormon people had yet been found. The thrust of these arguments is twofold: First, the DNA makeup of the various Book of Mormon peoples is unknown. Second, these groups were small enough that it is possible that the larger existing populations could have diluted their distinctive DNA out of existence. The chance of finding any Book of Mormon DNA may be unlikely. Lehi's DNA might be lost to time.
Meldrum accepted this as a possibility. But he wasn't satisfied.
Recent comments
I thought this was about the newspaper article on BoM evidences. I...
Chris | Oct. 25, 2008 at 4:46 p.m.
It does fit. The Church is true. I have watched the video. I have...
Laura | Aug. 24, 2008 at 12:29 a.m.
Did anyone actually watch this documentary? From reading many of the...
DRS | June 19, 2008 at 10:25 p.m.
- Sub hears Yemenia black boxes 8:49 a.m.
- Iraqis skeptical about pullback 8:47 a.m.
- Spy chief's details on Facebook 8:46 a.m.
- Ramirez homers, but Padres win 1:56 a.m.
- Coast Guard plucks kayaker from sea 1:26 a.m.
- 16 dead in China floods 1:19 a.m.
- Sports on the air 12:46 a.m.
- Editorial: Ulster bridges divide 12:46 a.m.
- Obama deprives Iran of scapegoat 12:46 a.m.
- America stands as shining beacon 12:45 a.m.
- Stadium of Fire lights up the 4th
- Millsap valuable, not franchise player
- Utahn reunites with officer
- Can Jazz escape luxury-tax mess?
- Interest in Millsap dwindling?
- The BCS sure won't fix itself
- Obama deprives Iran of scapegoat
- Jazz talked Kirilenko for McGrady
- NKorea fires 7 missiles defying U.S.
- 'Tea party' protesters unhappy
- Boozer not opting out of contract
180 - Palin resigning as governor
101 - Lack of Obama photos concerning
99 - Utah leaner in too-fat country
91 - Don't listen to marriage cynics
88 - Editorial: A sad day for Utah
86 - Palin's and Romney's roles in 2012?
86 - Jazz plan to re-sign Millsap
81 - Jazz talked Kirilenko for McGrady
71 - Hatch calls BCS 'biased' in SI article
69
For the past 13 days, I've had access to a story of major proportions.
NO THEY WERE NOT MORMON! And I'm related to one them so I KNOW. Not everyone...
jayzee said "It's real creepy using our nation's birthday to divide Americans...
If someone endured a failed marriage(s) how can they not be a bit cynical? If...
Boozer socre points and rebound, while AK scores less and rebounds less but...
What!!! Burned an American Flag? What is up with that?
Inspirational! So refreshing in this world to hear such an incredible story...
an inspiring story. Thanks DN...
People often scream NO GOVERNMNENT or MORE OVERSIGHT! But our government was...
Play safe boys and girls and no one gets hurt. Fireworks are an American...
Why do the Jazz continue to settle for mediocrity? Look at the rest of the...
