Blake Ostler has a good paper on the logical fallacies of DNA attacks on the Book of Mormon that was published in Sunstone. He provides some very clear analysis on the invalid assumptions that Thomas Murphy and others implicitly accept when they try to deny the authenticity of the Book of Mormon based on DNA studies. Recommended reading.
The Logic of DNA Attacks on the Book of Mormon
Thanks for posting that, Jeff. Kudos. Very good article.
The DNA issue has proven itself to be another area where Evangelical anti-Mormons (e.g. Living Hope Ministries) establish a straw-man fallacy by painting the Book of Mormon as something which it isn’t (e.g. history of ALL America and ALL Amerindians’ ancestors) and disproof this straw-man. Ironically, the “evidence” (in this case, DNA) destroys their actual beliefs (i.e. literalistic interpretation of the Book of Genesis) alongisde a popular misunderstanding of the Book of Mormon. However, you already note this in your page on Science and Mormonism.
Another of my favourite “double-standards” is praying about the Book of Mormon. People, such as Ron Rhodes in his books that I have read (The 10 most important things you can say to a Mormon and Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Mormons) pleads he reader NOT to pray about the Book of Mormon as (i) Satan would answer it and (ii) the promise itself is in the Book of Mormon. HOWEVER, Rhodes et al pleads the reader to pray about the Bible and for Jesus to enter our hearts and so forth, nothwithstanding the fact that these promises are in the Bible!
Again, thanks for posting that article.
I wouldn’t be surprised if, with every great discovery of a scientific research tool people didn’t use it as proof that the Book of Mormon is false. It’s an easy attack, since most people don’t understand the science. Playing on ignorance seems to be the major role of anti Mormons.
Interesting comments, thanks! Perhaps global warming theories will be the next hot anti-Mormon argument. I’m not sure how, but I suppose it is true that the world’s best computer simulations of global events DO NOT show one scrap of meterological evidence for the Book of Mormon.
The vehement nature of the comments left here tell me that LDS members react to troublesome infomration in a personal and seemingly immature manner.
Perhaps, all should avoid knee jerk reactions and let the evidence speak for itself. I think labeling people who disagree with your views of Mormonism as “anti-Mormon” to be sophomoric.
Well though I do understand the main problem most mormons would have with someone coming across and attacking the mormon bible, it should not be seen as an attack. With the discovery of new scince and new archeology.
From what I have read of the book of mormon, I have noted some refernces that simply just don’t make sense. One of my main greviences is that god is three, not one. There is the father, the son, and the holy spirit. Though the New Testiment clearly and overtently explains the belief that God is all three, in one.
As far as science disprovoing that the jews came over to south america, well it does. There is no proof. It would be like saying that gravity is false because your bible says so. Be resonable people.