DNA and the Book of Mormon

Deception 8

Joel Kramer uses scientists who supposedly used to be Mormons. These people have again miss-represented actual Mormon belief, ignores the scientific process, uses wrong data, and actually tells lies about the information used to come to Joel Kramer’s conclusion that Joseph Smith is a liar and The Book of Mormon is false. These participants and their misinformation follows:

• Randall Shortridge, PhD
• Thomas Murphy
• Simon Southerton, PhD
• Trent Stephens, PhD
• David Glenn Smith
• Dr. Dennis O'Rourke
• Dr. Stephen L. Whittington

Note: Click on a link above to see the information about each participant, or go on to another section using the navigation below.

Deception 7	Conclusion
INTRODUCTION | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | CONCLUSION | APPENDIX

Randall Shortridge, PHD - Lied
Molecular Biology, University at Buffalo (NY)
Was a member of the LDS Church for 25 years

Shortridge Lie #1 – In the video Randall stated that LDS Church President Hinkley was wrong when he said that DNA evidence has not proven that there is no American Indian DNA link to the Middle East. The study in this video is so grossly misrepresented that it actually supports President Hinkley’s statement 100%. Randall is the liar.

Shortridge Lie #2 – Randall said that if The Book of Mormon is not true, as they are proposing, then Jesus Christ did not come to the Americas. Randall is ignoring all the current non-Mormon evidence that Jesus Christ did come to the Americas.

Thomas Murphy - Lied
Mormon Anthropologist & Scholar
Edmonds Community College, Lynnwood, Washington

Thomas Murphy’s reference did check out, he is the chair of the Anthropology department in that community college. In searching his web site, he has no studies listed that shows that he has worked on the American Indian DNA studies. There are no studies even listed for his local college.

Murphy Deception #1 – Thomas Murphy states that the Mormons say the family of Lehi landed in Central America and shows a picture with an arrow pointing to Central America. He then shows a picture of South America with the Sea North, the Sea West, The Sea East, and the Sea South. Using this picture, Thomas Murphy depicts the entire continent of South America as the location of the Book of Mormon. Any Mormon who studies The Book of Mormon in depth will know this version of Global Colonization of the Americas is wrong.

Murphy Deception #2 – Thomas Murphy stated that the LDS response that the family of Lehi was contained in a small area and made a small contribution to a larger population (the local colonization theory) rests on a rejection of statements from The Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and all the presidents of the Church. Conveniently, Thomas Murphy does not quote any of these references except for the introduction of The Book of Mormon. I have provided quotes of what leaders have said about this in Deception #4 above.

Murphy Lie #1 – He states: “The Book of Mormon is not about a limited geography—that “we (the Mormons) have to say The Book of Mormon is wrong!” Murphy obviously rejects or ignores what the current LDS thought is on this local colonization theory. He does this in order to meet Joel Kramer’s predetermined conclusion that Joseph Smith is a liar and The Book of Mormon is false.

Murphy Lie #2 – Thomas Murphy states: “we do not have anything validating a single place, a single person, a single event in both The Book of Mormon and the external evidence from ancient America.” Below is a list of books and articles that will show this statement to be a lie! Thomas Murphy and Joel Kramer choose to ignore the existence of all these scientifically completed research projects. I will list just a few of these references and they all existed before they made these quotes:

In Search of Cumorah-New Evidences for the Book of Mormon from Ancient Mexico, by David A. Palmer, Horizon Publishers, Bountiful, Utah, 1981.

The Messiah in Ancient America, by Bruce W. Warren and Thomas Stuart Ferguson, Book of Mormon Research Foundation, Provo, Utah, 1987.

Deciphering the Geography of the Book of Mormon, by F. Richard Hauck, Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1988.

New Evidences of Christ in Ancient America, by Blaine M. Yorgason, Bruce W. Warren, and Harold Brown, Book of Mormon Research Foundation, Provo, Utah, 1999.

A series of articles and journals of the FARMS Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, P.O. Box 7113, University Station, Provo, Utah 84602, (801)422-9229 or (800)327-6715.

Murphy Lie #3 – Thomas Murphy states that there has “never been any evidence that shows there has been an Israelite migration to the new world, not in genetics or any other source historically, archeologically or linguistically. The list of books and articles in Murphy Lie #2 will show this statement to be a lie!

Murphy Lie #4 – Being a professor of anthropology and a Mormon who supposedly knows the Book of Mormon states that the principal ancestors of the American Indians are the Lamanites. The list of books and articles in Murphy Lie #2 will show this statement to be a lie!

Murphy Lie #5 – Thomas Murphy states: “We’ve (Mormons) got a problem. Mormon scholars can pretend this evidence does not exist, which I think is dishonest. We can confront it, we can challenge it. I don’t think we can be successful in challenging the data. I don’t know of any Mormon scientist that are challenging it.” The list of books and articles in Murphy Lie #2 will show this statement to be a lie.

Murphy Lie #6 – Thomas Murphy states: “What we have been doing is wrestling with our own conceptions of The Book of Mormon. Most Mormon scholars that do comment on it agree that the American Indians cannot be the descendants of the Lamanites (as a whole), it is linguistically, archeologically, historically impossible. The list of books and articles in Murphy Lie #2 will show this statement to be a lie!

Murphy Lie #7 – Thomas Murphy states that the Mormons pretend that these problems don’t exist. That “We (the Mormons) are in a dilemma, DNA evidence clearly shows that American Indians are not descendents of Hebrews. The list of books and articles in Murphy Lie #2 will show this statement to be a lie! There is no dilemma in the LDS Church about any of this information.

Murphy Lie #8 – Murphy states that “Archeological evidence shows the Book of Mormon is not true.” The list of books and articles in Murphy Lie #2 will show this statement to be a lie!

Murphy Lie #9 – Murphy states “We are caught with the evidence clearly showing that The Book of Mormon is not what we have believed it to be.” The list of books and articles in Murphy Lie #2 will show this statement to be a lie!

Murphy Lie #10 – Murphy states “With the 19th Century point of view, Joseph Smith was attempting to deceive people. He pretended to have the plates. That was being deceptive. We know he was deceptive about his marriage practices. He was sleeping with teenage girls and other women and he lied about that in public. He was capable of deception.”

No evidences or references of these statements were given. With the deceptions and lies Thomas Murphy and Joel Kramer have made in this video, I challenge them to prove the deceptions of Joseph Smith! If these statements about Joseph Smith were true they would be all over the legitimate history books.

Murphy Lie #11 – Murphy states that “We (the Mormons) are excited about DNA when it helps genealogy, and we label it anti-Mormon when it deals with the Book of Mormon.” This is a lie. Having done genealogy for decades, there is not one time where I have heard of DNA testing in determining ones genealogy. There is no testing of DNA to prove ones ancestors.

Murphy Lie #12 – He states “there is no external sources for The Book of Mormon validating a single place, person, or single event.” The list of books and articles in Murphy Lie #2 will show this statement to be a lie!

Murphy Lie #13 – He states “with the DNA evidence that we have today The Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith would not stand up in a court of law today!” This is a lie. With the faulty DNA study that Joel Kramer has done, this faulty evidence against The Book of Mormon would never be admitted in court!

Assumption #1 – With the knowledge of the Mormons and the way Thomas Murphy talks, I doubt he is or ever was a Mormon.

Simon Southerton, PHD, Lied
Molecular Biologist, (2 years as Mormon Bishop)

Southerton Lie #1 – Mr. Southerton states: “that the Lamanites are the principal ancestors is doctrine of the Church and is taught in the scriptures.” [See Deceptions above]

Southerton Lie #2 – Mr. Southerton states: “the DNA study on Central America is equally devastating on The Book of Mormon.” Southerton never references the study on Central America. All of the other deceptions and lies pointed out on this topic in this review applies to this Southerton false statement.

Southerton Lie #3 – Mr. Southerton states: “There is essentially nothing to link the old world with the new world.” The list of books and articles in Murphy Lie #2 will show this statement to be a lie!

Trent Stephens, PHD, Lied
Idaho State University, Biologist, Mormon Scholar

Stephens Lie #1 – He stated that “It is fair to say The Book of Mormon is a history of all the people on the American continent.” The list of books and articles in Murphy Lie #2 will show this statement to be a lie!

David Glenn Smith
Molecular Anthropologist, University California, Davis
30 years studying native American Genes

Mr. Smith’s background checks out but has not done a study on the DNA origins of The Book of Mormon. See his web site references at the end.

Dr. Dennis O’Rourke
Molecular Anthropologist, University of Utah

Mr. O’Rourke’s background checks out but has not done a study on the DNA origins of The Book of Mormon.

Dr. Stephen L. Whittington
Anthropologist, University of Maine

Background does not check out. He is not currently on the list of faculty.

Deception 7	Conclusion
INTRODUCTION | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | CONCLUSION | APPENDIX