Mormons:where did the American Indian originate?

Question

In the last decade scientists from several research groups had tested the mitochondrial DNA of over 2000 American Indians from about a hundred tribes scattered over the length of the Americas. It soon became apparent to me that about 99% of their female lineages were brought into the Americas in excess of 12,000 years ago. Almost all of these lineages are most closely related to those of people in Asia, particularly in southern Siberia near Mongolia. Several tribes in Mesoamerica (which included Aztecs and Mayans) had been tested and all but a couple of individuals out of about 500 had mitochondrial DNA of Asian origin. How is this possible if they came from Israel and the tribe of Joseph... Please explain.. Jim

Answer 1

I am glad you asked this! I just got back from a missions trip in New York witnessing to Mormons.

The Book of Mormon claims that Native Americans are principally descended from a people group called Lamanites, who are of Israelite origin. DNA research, however, indicates that Native Americans are from the region of Asia around Mongolia.

The title page of The Book of Mormon claims that it was "written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel." The introduction page of The Book of Mormon goes on to say that "After thousands of years, all were destroyed, except the Lamanites, and they are the principal ancestors of the American Indians."

Based on these claims of the Book of Mormon, the LDS Church has traditionally taught that modern-day Native Americans are descended from Lamanites, who were of Hebrew (Israelite) origin.

What does the science say?

The science says that there is no evidence of any connection between Native Americans and Hebrews.

Archaeologist and anthropologist have long believed that Native Americans migrated to the Americas from Central and Northeast Asia in prehistoric times. The DNA evidence is backing these assumptions up quite solidly.

Mitochondrial and Y-chromosome DNA testing are effective means of determining the ancestries and relatedness of people and people groups. DNA tests have been performed on thousands of individuals from scores of Native American tribes, from Alaska to the tip of South America. The results of the test show that the overwhelming majority (96.4%) of DNA originated in northeastern and north-central Asia, which essentially corroborates what had an already become a widespread consensus among archaeologists and anthropologists of varying disciplines.

The post-Colonial era intermarriage easily accounts for the remaining 3.6% discrepancy. In addition, the testing of the DNA in the pre-Columbian skeletal remains shows a 100% correlation with DNA from Northeastern and Central Asia. No indication of Hebrew ancestry has been found in the DNA of Native Americans.

In other parts of the world, DNA has been used to positively identify people groups who do have a clear genetic link to Israel from ancient times. This shows that DNA can be used to clearly show a genetic link (or lack thereof) between people groups. If Native Americans really were descended from Israelites, then their DNA would back up that claim.

What are the implications for the Book of Mormon?

It's not just a matter of the history in the Book of Mormon being unprovable; rather, it's that its history can be positively proven as false.

So how are Latter-day Saints dealing with these challenges? This is proving to be a difficulty, because two "camps" have formed in response to this.

The "camp" generally represented by the LDS hierarchy and church leaders is mistrust the science, and reason in general as "worldly" (that is, unspiritual) wisdom. In so doing, they dismiss the challenges as meaningless, since the story should be accepted on faith, and not based on any type of evidence or reason. Sometimes they will suggest that God changed the DNA of Native Americans, thus obscuring their Hebrew ancestry.

The second "camp" is represented by the LDS academic community, such as BYU, FARMS, and FAIR, among others. Their tactics in dealing with the challenge generally rely upon producing volumes of scientific jargon and conjecture. On the surface, it may appear to refute the challenges, at least to someone who is not well versed in the issues of DNA science. In reality, however, what they put forth are "straw-man" arguments that don't address the challenges at all.

These DNA counter-arguments do not hold up very well among scientists, which leave the LDS apologists with only one other option--to reinterpret the Book of Mormon to fit the science.

For example, they may suggest that the Book of Mormon really doesn't teach that Native Americans as a whole are descended from Israel. They cite the probability that the Israelites were absorbed into a larger, pre-existing population, and so all DNA traces would be lost. Or they may say that the story was confined to a small geographic region and that the DNA evidence simply hasn't been found yet.

The difficulty with this argument, however, is that the Book of Mormon teaches something very different. There is no mention of other people groups or civilizations living on the land when the Israelite migration arrived or at any time afterwards. And there is nothing in the text that suggests the entire story was confined to a small geographic region. On the contrary, it speaks of a small group of Israelites who multiply and cover the face of the land, building huge cities and empires.

The DNA evidence, when properly and fully examined, leaves us with only one conclusion: The Book of Mormon simply cannot be what it claims to be--an ancient history of the Americas.

Most DNA found was of Asian or "Eskimo". The closest to Israeli DNA is the 0.06% that was European but that didn't come into case until Columbus came to the Americas (which if you put two and two together you figure out why).

For more reasons why Mormonism is wrong on this issue (and many others) check this out:
http://www.mormoninfo.org/news-info/film-reviews/critical-films/dna-vs-book-mormon

and reply to "duhanlorian"...there is A LOT of proof AGAINST the book of mormon. Please everyone check out www.whatmormonsdonttell.com and see all the LDS contradictions and errors in the LDS. Dont be fooled into the cult.

Answer 2

actually, Jim, more recently they have discovered tools and pottery that dated back more than 20,000 years ago. As far as your DNA research is concerned, it would quite difficult to actually prove anything you just said considering that there are no full blooded Indians left. Therefore the DNA they interact with could be from the other bloodlines within them. I'm willing to bet that Our tribes, North, Central, and South American, have always been here. All you have is theory and suggestive accusations, nothing more, but here's something to think about. Where did all the white people come from? If the creation of man started in Africa( when all the continents were together) how did white people lose their pigment and become a separate race?

Answer 3

But if you pray to heavenly father and accept what the General Authorities have claimed since Joseph Smith, you will know in your heart the evilness of DNA science and how scientists are created by satan to lead man astray.

Or read Jeff Lindsay, hobby scientist, and see how many pages it takes to confuse the living crap out you.

Or look up any University or Archaeological society (other than BYU or Maxwell Institute) and review their ungodly and incorrect treatises and papers submitted with the assumptions and conclusions of Asian mDNA origin.

Hah! Stoopid siuhntissts sceentest researchers

Answer 4

Most of the native Americans are from Asia thousands of years ago. But a tribe of people we believe migrated from Palestine into the Americas 2500 years ago. Their remnants have assimilated in the neighboring tribes of Native Americans.
Mormons never said all native americans are Hebrews.

Answer 5

Jim all I know is that the 12 tribes were scattered Thur out the earth, the DNA has always been traced to that area, please enlighten me!

Answer 6

What does this have to do with yours or my personal salvation?
Are you trying to discredit the Book of Mormon, like so many have attempted and failed to do so in the past 177 years?
I know the Book of Mormon to be true and to be a Testimony of the Lord, Jesus Christ.
If your heart isn't hardened beyond any inkling of belief you might want to read it and take up the challenge millions have taken up in the past 177 years found near the end of the Book of Mormon in the book of Moroni chapter 10 verses 3 though 5.
Remember the Book of Mormon is like the Bible in that it takes a measure of faith to understand it.
It must be taken on the basis of "what can this book do for me and my personal life and behavior?"
It's a matter of principles and what kind of character to you want to have.
Concerning this record(the Book of Mormon) the Prophet Joseph Smith said: "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get NEARER TO GOD by ABIDING BY ITS PRECEPTS, than by any other book."(emphasis added)

(Book of Mormon | Preface Introduction:6)

Encourage you to read this book and pray and ask God with the intent of doing what ever the answer requires and I promise you, you will know for yourself as I have come to know that The Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith really was a Prophet of God who was inspired of God to re-establish God's priesthood and church organization(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) on the Earth again.

As for a straight forward answer to your question:
I know the Native American Indians, in addition to the Polynesian natives of the Pacific Ocean are all sons and daughters of Lehi( you have to read the Book of Mormon) and of Joseph, who was sold into Egypt by his brothers.
Perhaps science may prove differently but this won't change who I am and who I want to become and that is a better man and an heir to all that God has to give.

Answer 7

Oh my, science has disproven the invented religion of Joseph Smith? What shall we do?

Oh, BTW? I like it when you say 'mitochondrial', do it again!

Answer 8

Well I guess they will just have to wait for a fax from moroni with a new excuse.....

Answer 9

I am curious about this research done. Can you please send me a link to it?