Interesting article, but if you need science to prove the Book of Mormon's truthfulness in order to keep your testimony, then you obviously don't understand how true religion.

When studying the Book of Mormon from a sceintific point of view, one needs to keep in mind several important things.

Including the Book of Ether, the entire Book of Mormon records a period of about 2000 years. However, about 1600 of those years are discussed only briefly. For example, Enos to Omni, (three very small books) cover a period of about 400 years; 4th Nephi (one book with only one chapter) covers a period of about 250 years. And the Book of Ether, which is 15 chapters long, covers about 1,000 years.

The point is, how can anyone claim the Book of Mormon has been scientifically proven to be either true or false, when we have such a tiny (very tiny) record to go on?

The Book of Mormon discusses many wars, destructions, movements of certain groups of people, and other population shifts which are often written in such non-specific terms, specualtion can be as big as the Grand Canyon.

I know some critics will dismiss me as just a stupid racist going on blind faith. To them I say, if your research is so air tight, why do you have to call people names when they disagree?

I've also heard that researchers consistently find something around 99% Siberian/East Asian DNA in South American indigenous populations as well. So if a single haplotype "sometimes" associated with Hebrews was found in some people in South America, what does that say when thousands of genetic markers always associated with East Asians are found in *ALL* indigenous South Americans? It sounds like someone's trying to force the square peg of factual science into the round hole of wishful mythology.

When I was on my mission a long time ago, we had been teaching a university instructor, his educational background was ancient American Culture. We challenged him to read the Book of Mormon.

He did so and then told us a very startling piece of information, everything had a familiar ring of truth to it.

He then told us the truth is very dangerous and that the truth does hurt, so therefore I can't continue reading this book.

Enough evidence to back up the claim of the Book of Mormon as being the second wittness to Jesus Christ.

Woodward says that most likely, when higher-resolution tests are used, we will learn that the Hebrew DNA in native populations can be traced to conquistadors whose ancestors intermarried with Jewish people in Spain or even more modern migrations.

There have been thousands of civilizations that have come and gone without a trace. We just returned from Turkey which has one of the highest concentrations of anthropological sites in the world, but many artifacts are just now being uncovered and most will likely never be brought to light.

I am constantly amazed at what we presume to know about the past and how easily we close the door on new discovery.

Well written article - I liked how it emhpasized the need to careful with the discovery. I hate it when scientists make a discovery and run straight to the media, hold a press conference, and eventually get exposed later on.

The Hebrew DNA can also be found in New York City.

I would not have had a problem had the marker never been found for the following reason.

The lamanites were changed to have a darker skin. This change would have had to be a change in DNA. Once a change in DNA takes place, then it will be different and not necessarily the same as it was in the past.

Therefore if the looked for markers are not found, there are now two possible explanations, not just one.

1. The markers were never there.
2. The markers were there but were erased.

I just can't believe grown adults believe this stuff.

The town where I live just had an election for mayor. One of the candidates said that he had been an All-American in football, and had played for an NFL team with a famous quarterback. It turned out neither was true, and what does football have to do with being mayor? (He lost, badly).

The late Neal A. Maxwell told members of the church to not allow anti-mormons any "uncontested slam dunks."

If I were investigating the LDS church, I would go to google, which is scary because we are savaged online. We are mocked because our beliefs are called "un-scientific" and we believe in the crazed tales of a teen-aged backwoods frontiersman. Unfortunately in this day and age we need this kind of proof. Or, at least some evidence to deflect criticism. Now if this discovery were to be in Guatemala as opposed to Bolivia, I'd be ecstatic . . .

I just can't believe that grown adults don't believe this stuff.

The DNA issue does not prove or disprove the Book of Mormon narrative.

But one thing the discovery does in fact prove: Tom Murphy's claims about the Book of Mormon requiring DNA evidence are nonsense.

You misspelled Colombia.

Kevin, Are you saying you can't believe that people believe in DNA tests? Or are you saying that you believe DNA tests but don't believe people who accept scientific results that support their views while rejecting scientific results that tend to discount their views? My view is that the truth prevails and that we all would be wise to seek the truth from whatever source it comes. Still, I don't abandon principles that I consider true regardless of what others believe based on their interpretations of evidence available at a point in time.

VCan't you spell the country Colombia rather than Columbia. It is embarassing to see such simple errors in a newspaper.

This is a VERY misleading headline. NO, Hebrew DNA was NOT found in South America! Read the article carefully. Better yet, read the original study results carefully. Better even yet, learn more about DNA science and you will see that there is absolutely NO DNA evidence supporting ANY of the Church's claims that Native Americans (Indians) are descendants of Lehi. None.

FARMS spin machine: "sometimes associated with Hebrew people:
LOL
Actually this prooves it to me.

If scientist could find the DNA that directly linked Lehi to the state of California I would not be anymore certain than I am today that the Book of Mormon is true. I don't need man made evidence when I have a witness from the Heavens. That being said, I would love to have evidence to show the doubters. But if there is evidence you take away the need for faith and all of the blessings that go with it.

The Cohen modal haplotype occurs in many non-jewish populations (Italians, Hungarians, Kurds, Armenians). Why exactly are we supposed to be excited by its presence in South America?

Talk about a weirdly written article. No "Hebrew" DNA found, but the headline says otherwise. OK, I get the "science doesn't know everything stuff". But what do we do with the massive amount of North-eastern Asian DNA? What do we do with the obvious facial similarities in the PIMA indians and Siberians? The look of the central American indians and the Siberian/Mongolian people? I want to believe the BOM, it has good stuff (although a very simple story line...humm...). But this article is flimsy. Then you have the problem of the character of the person who produced the book. That is a whole 'nother story.

If a spaceship landed in your backyard last night and you told your friends about it (and the spaceship left by morning), would they believe you? It depends on whether you are "believable". Now this gets to the crux of the matter. Heck, this won't get printed anyway!

As a member of the Church, I am so frustrated that the Church continues to promote the idea that we will find scientific evidence supporting the Book of Mormon. Approximately 40 years and millions of dollars later, we have "NHM" and a lot of extreme stretches and speculations but primarily are back to "science is just toO complicated and we will really never know - it is all based on faith." I could have told you that 40 years ago for a heck of a lot less time and money.

The fact is that the "scientific arm" of the Church has been made to look foolish in the eyes of the "real" scientific community and has given critics years and years of ammunition. I respect these men at FARMS and other BYU research departments but after reading their work I am left embarrassed for the Church.

Religion is about faith. Yeah, it bothers me that a large group of people left literally no trace of their existence but I can still read the Book of Mormon for it's testimony of the Savior and the Atonement. I wish FARMS would put down their shovels and start doing the same!! Enough Already!!

To NC Mom,

Yes, and Islamic Fundamentalists use the same reasoning and have the same (or even greater) confidence than you do that the Koran is the true word of God -- so much confidence in fact, that they will strap bombs on their bodies and blow themselves to bits along with a room full of innocent people!

It is WAY PAST TIME that we demand more than just expressions of "faith" and "confidence". It is time we demanded that publicly available evidence be provided for religious claims and artifacts. It is time we revealed the fraudulent claims for what they are and by so doing, put an end to the exploitation of innocent (and naive) people by these Churches and religious organizations. It is time we put an end to the irrational beliefs and the abusive, terrorist, elitist, divisive actions that flow from them!

NC mom, you may not be a terrorist or an abusive mother, but you harbor irrational beliefs that support the same fanaticism as is used to justify terrorism, FLDS polygamy and child exploitation, and countless other horrors, all done because of belief in myths, fables, and fantastic stories that lack any evidence!

If you actually READ the Book of Mormon, it's blatantly obvious that there are other groups of people living on both American continents during the course of the record. It makes no secret of that. People were constantly discovering other groups, or evidence of other groups, or leaving and never being heard from again, and things like that. Of course people came from East Asia, that's also blatantly obvious. The Book of Mormon doesn't argue that, and like the article says, the LDS church doesn't teach that all Native Americans are directly descended from Lehi and his family. There are many reasons why Hebrew DNA may not be easily found in South America. Just because we can't find high concentrations of it doesn't mean the Book of Mormon isn't true. Anybody who needs scientific proof to have a testimony doesn't actually have a testimony. When you know something, you don't have faith, you have knowledge. Faith is believing in something regardless of whether or not there's proof.

Chad: In 2000 years, there won't be any proof of your existence on this continent either. There won't be any way to prove how you lived, or what you thought or believed.

Given the right circumstances, if America somehow falls apart within the next 1000 years (which is giving America a lot of credit in the grand scheme of world civilizations), there may not even be accurate DNA proof or physical evidence to show that this continent was colonized by European Protestants in the 1600s (we're still trying to locate the original Jamestown site in Virginia...despite the fact that it has been widely documented in historical accounts). If you can't find the right sites, you can't find the right DNA.

Even if we leave behind artifacts or DNA evidence, they will be left to the interpreteation of the archeologists of those future times, and will be interpreted based on the archeological politics and intellectual arm-wrestling if that day. That's the beauty of physical evidence (especially DNA); it gives such a small portion of the story that the rest is left open to subjective interpretation.

This is just another one of hundreds of clear evidences that the Book of Mormon could be true. It's not proof. Moroni taught how to obtain the proof. No matter how many evidences are found, Isaiah delcared that this marvelous work would rise as many would be blind to it. I continue to love the advance of science and I know that in the end, all things will be made clear. Let's be anxious to learn.

Give it up already!

The article mentions something to the effect that "some" Mormons believed that the indiginous peoples were exclusively descendants of Father Lehi. Actually the title page or forward, which was RECENTLY CHANGED, pretty much stated that ("who were the principal ancestors of the American Indians"...now it says "they are AMONG the principal ancestors..."). Now I never believed the short asiatic looking people,who comprise most of the people of Peru, Central America, were from the middle east (tribe of Manassah). My eyes and brain just told me otherwise. Some of the tribes of the North Eastern United States (Mohican, etc.) do have some resemblence to peoples other than Mongolia or North East Asia. They look different. They are largely extinct now however.

My honest opinion is that the BOM is probably false, but I don't know that for sure. I don't have the space to go into my reasons here. However, I do not KNOW FOR SURE that I am right. It is a book that contains much good teaching and if lived would produce good results among those who believe. I have read it many times. I simply do not trust the person who produced it, therefore I question the book.

A relative of mine who is mexican have been told by older generations in his family that they are jewish also. So to find out more history of the jewish bloodlines in South America would be great for geneology purposes and to personally known more information about the South American heritage.

. To purely authenticate that the Book of Mormon is true by this means would not fulfill my beliefs in it. I would base the truth of the Book of Mormon by faith.

Re:Jacob;Should we send in the CPS Gestapo ,and round up all those naughty people with their evil
"Irrational Beliefs"? How many of your neighbors do
you wish to be exterminated,10 million,or is that number too small? If you wish to see the "Face of Fascism", just look in the mirror. Remember this,
Hitler was a Pagan, and Stalin was an Atheist.
Seig Heil.

At least this is PROOF to you ANTI'S that your ignorance assumptions once again are false.

Tell me again - WHY did the Savior return after his death to show people he has a body?

OH YEAH - Because HE DOES HAVE A BODY - which is proof that YOUR church is false.

Have a nice (intelligent hopefully) day!

Neither argument sways my belief. One day it will all come to light. We should concern ourselves with making the world better if we can't change what others believe

You people are too funny! I also have SPANISH conquistadors blood in my family, who settled in south America, and some of my Spanish ancestors were Jewish back in Spain....YOU KNOW BACK IN EUROPEAN SPAIN? The true Spanish. Someone needs to quit trying to change and rewrite history.

I can't argue after much study faith is more necessary than any facts in believing in the Book of Mormon.

Let's review the facts here:

1) A "scientific" study appears ostensibly contradicting LDS theology.
2) Many individuals quickly grab hold of that as ipso facto proof that Mormons are a bunch of mindless lemmings.
3) Another "scientific" study appears apparently contradicting the first (this article).
4) Those individuals who hung their hat on the first now desperately fight to disprove the second and while still holding onto the first, notwithstanding the questionable scientific merits of both studies.

Hmmm . . . reminds me of the many individuals back in the mid 80's who left the LDS Church after the "discovery" that Joseph Smith communicated with a White Salamander. When the documents upon which they based their decision was discovered to be a fraud, and that Joseph Smith did no such thing, none of these individuals asked for their LDS Church membership to be reinstated. Interesting? Of course. Surprising? Not particularly.

The bottom line: people generally (and unfortunately) look for evidence to support their pre-existing existing beliefs. Most of the comments to this article are simply proof to that effect.

Why can't we use the Book of Mormon as a book containing a correct model for living instead of a book by non-existant Hebrews from the Old World. It is a book of fiction, but has many good points to it.

It will never come to light. We have been waiting 2000 years for Jesus to return when he should have returned nearly 2000 years ago. When you die the lights go out...the fire is extinguished. All religions are false and based on nothing.

I loved that Mr. Woodward seemed to approach his study with a rational skepticism. Contrary to all the naysayers and BOM testimonies herein, he seemed to approach his investigation with a balanced approach and suggested using his findings carefully.

I used to believe the BOM "with all my heart". That was before I actually read literature that wasn't Mormon. I grew up reading, and my reading list was about 75% by Mormon authors. Once I was exposed to the light, I saw through biased literature written solely to defend the author's position and beliefs.

I really can't swallow much of any religious literature and research anymore because those who seek and write, seek only what justifies their position and only write what validates their uneducated faith based beliefs.

Religion is the opiate of the masses. I'm no longer addicted.

I wish for the anti-mormons to be less anti-mormon. I pray for my LDS brothers and sisters to be less anti-non-mormon as well.

Namaste

Simply read the book. So many stories are totally lacking in credibility. Just re-read the story of the Jaradite journey. Does it really sound plausible?

I agree with Jacob @8:38 that it's way past time to move beyond simple expressions of faith and confidence. It's time to expect more from ourselves and our leaders. It's time to expect some "reality." Myths just aren't enough.

I disagree with "Anthropologist". A thousand years from now our European DNA would be found among the inhabitants. The genetic markers that "mark" cetain population groups are fairly easy to find. Smaller groups mixed with larger groups makes it harder to find the markers for the smaller groups, but they can be found. So far, the DNA evidence does not support a belief in the BOM, but it does not preclude it either. My disbelief in the book (thouth not certain...) is based on other aspects of the origins of the book. The science of DNA population studies is not complete and therefore can not produce certainty in conclusions yet, but it does produce indications the book is false. I do not want to belittle people of faith because it appears to be a fundamental piece of our exitance here. There are many things we do not know that we would like to know and we will never know them. Therefore the debate between faith and reason will never be settled. Peace, believe if you like, disbelieve if you like, but in the end treat each other with respect. No one has a corner on knowledge.

It shouldn't matter that Lehi was from the tribe of Manasseh, not of Judah. His DnA would be almost the same either way. Judah and Manasseh were both descendants of the same man, only one or two generations before them.

Lehi's DnA signature would be as similar to one of his Jewish contemporaries' as mine is to my nephew.

Prove it is fiction Gloria...

Why is there not supporting DNA found around Hill Cumorah and the native North American Indians?

Anthropologist:

I LOVED your comment :-)

DNA or no DNA won't change my mind of the Book of Mormon, neither will some of the closed minded people who need facts and proof that the Book of Mormon did or did not happened.

To our Christian friends, Do you need DNA proof that Jesus Christ is a real person? NO, like us you have your faith.

Just like us Mormons we have our faith as proof that the Book of Mormon is true.

What blessings are you referring to? Please be specific, thanks.

no e/o israelite DNA in Native Americans? What about Haplotype X found in a number of native americans tribes in the Ohio Valley and Eastern US?

A lot of confusion on this topic is the assumption that the geographical location for the Book of Mormon is in South America. Not only is there no DNA evidence to support this, but the LDS church itself has never officially declared such. Church leaders may have opinions on the matter it is not doctrine.

I am no hardcore genetic analyst but how can you dismiss the Haplotype X mitochondrial DNA found only in Israel, Spain, some random scandinavian country, and many native american tribes. Furthermore this evidence predates european colonization. It is still early in the game and nothing is definitive but Haplotype X deserves consideration.

Also, it's clear the prinicpal ancestors of most native americans and south americans are of asian descent. Who ever said otherwise? That doesn't rule out the possibility of Israelite blood in Native Americans.

The paradigm of Columbus being the first to navigate the oceans is a farce. Polynesians, New Guineans, and other NOBLE SAVAGES were years ahead of their refined conquerors. Eventually the story will be told.

>>The lamanites were changed to have a darker skin. This change would have had to be a change in DNA<<

You assume that the DNA change was significant enough to blur all other markers. The hypothesis is preposterous. Scientists have already identified the genetic mutation that changed the darker skin of early humans to lighter skin as they migrated from Africa tens of thousands of years ago. The mutation occurred by chance in one individual after the exodus. This change involved only ONE letter of DNA code out of the 3.1 billion letters that make up the human genome. Conversely, to assume that a skin change from light to dark involved any more of a significant DNA change has absolutely no basis in fact.

You should be ashamed of spreading these types of rumors to support your opinions. Science does not support or refute any of the claims of the BoM, but it’s your prerogative to ignore science and accept it on faith alone.

Well, if you believe the Bible is true, and if we are all descendent of Adam, and then were all narrowed down to being descendent of Noah, then we all should have Hebrew DNA in us. Listen, genetic purity is a total myth! Hanky panky went on in the silk and spice trade routes, and still does. To me, the Book of Mormon gives us all important lessons about our Savior that we should heed. I happen to believe it was written by descendents of Lehi, and that someone had to translate it for us...but even if I didn't, it is a book everyone should read. And yes, we err when we think we know everything about history. What we know in fact is very little- much is hypothesized.

Not all irrational behavior is created equal. Faith may lead you to blow up buildings, but if faith in a story about a family who came to America leads you to live a better more charitable life, who are you to discourage the irrationality of it?

The truth is many people feel a spiritual confirmation that the book is true (the only way any one will ever believe it’s true) which is the basis for their actions since that confirmation also inspires us to be better.

You can judge the faith of one by its fruits. If it causes you to blow up buildings clearly there are problems beyond irrational thinking. But if the fruit are service and love, why make a big deal about it?

But absence of faith does not have much a better record. (Stalin/Russia, Mao/China) How many have been killed on pure rationality/science?

Prove it is true.

Sorry, but it can't be done.