From Deseret News archives:
DNA claims rebutted on Book of Mormon
Brant Gardner, a software consultant with training in Mesoamerican studies and anthropology, told about 200 people gathered at the Red Lion Hotel that a lack of DNA evidence showing American Indians are of Hebrew descent is "the most important non-issue we have in modern Mormonism."
Claims in recent years by LDS anthropologist Thomas Murphy and former LDS molecular biologist Simon Southerton regarding the lack of genetic connection to Hebrew blood have caused spirited debate in some quarters about the origin of the Book of Mormon, which Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints founder Joseph Smith said was translated from gold plates given to him by an angel from God.
Southerton, a former bishop, was excommunicated from the church after his writings appeared. Murphy was threatened with church discipline over his writings.
Members of the LDS Church believe the record is an account of some ancient inhabitants of the Americas who descended from the family of a man named Lehi who lived around 600 B.C. His voyage to the Americas from Jerusalem with his family is chronicled in the book.
He said neither Murphy nor Southerton understood that LDS scientists have known "for 50 years" about DNA evidence linking American Indians to Asian ancestry rather than Hebrew blood. "For some reason, these two men think this shocked us. It's been something we've been dealing with for a very, very long time."
Publicity surrounding the writings of the two scientists has created doubt for some Latter-day Saints, Gardner said. "Some people I've talked to are ready to leave the church over this."
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