FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Specific works/DNA Evidence for Book of Mormon Geography (DVD)
A FAIR Analysis of: Specific works A work by author: The FIRM Foundation
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A FAIR Analysis of DNA Evidence for Book of Mormon Geography and in associated seminar presentations
The most perfidious way of harming a cause consists of defending it deliberately with faulty arguments.
—Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher (1844 - 1900)
The First Presidency has often been asked to prepare some suggestive map illustrative of Nephite geography, but have never consented to do so. Nor are we acquainted with any of the Twelve Apostles who would undertake such a task. The reason is, that without further information they are not prepared even to suggest [a map]. The word of the Lord or the translation of other ancient records is required to clear up many points now so obscure.
—George Q. Cannon, "Editorial Thoughts: The Book of Mormon Geography," The Juvenile Instructor 25/1 (1 January 1890): 18–19.
Within 48 hours the Lord provided the answer to how this was to be accomplished... What a tremendous blessing!... Within 48 hours again the Lord provided another 'miracle'... So the Lord is watching out for this project! ...I asked my dear friend [an emeritus LDS general authority] if he would give my wife and I a special blessing...The only thing I can share from the blessings is that the overall understanding is that this information will go out to "millions" who will be touched by the work, and that this will "embolden" the saints to open their mouths and declare anew the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ so that millions will find and enter his kingdom! The spirit was overwhelmingly wonderful and we felt so blessed to have that privilege.
—"Update and Request to Serve on the FIRM FOUNDATION Counsel," e-mail dated 9 May 2008.
It is important to know what the Book of Mormon is not...President George Q. Cannon, First Counselor in the First Presidency, stated: “The Book of Mormon is not a geographical primer. It was not written to teach geographical truths. What is told us of the situation of the various lands or cities … is usually simply an incidental remark connected with the doctrinal or historical portions of the work.”
—James E. Faust, “The Keystone of Our Religion,” Ensign, Jan 2004, 2–6
This article deals only with non-geographical claims made in the DVD and associated presentations. For a discussion and response to specific geographical claims related to the Heartland model, see:
Claims made in the seminar "Introduction to Book of Mormon Evidences"
Some claims are unique to the introductory seminar, and are not addressed in the DVD. This section addresses some of those claims.
How to determine truth
In the seminar "Introduction to Book of Mormon Evidences," the presenter states that there exists a "hierarchy" by which something can be proven through research:
1) Scripture
2) Statements of Joseph Smith
3) Statements of the current prophet only while he is called as a prophet. Everything that does not fit into these three categories is to be considered opinion.
In order to demonstrate the proposed hierarchical order, the presenter notes that “prophets themselves are held accountable to the scriptures.” Citations that are used to back up this claim are:
- Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation 3:203
- Harold B. Lee, Stand Ye in Holy Places, pp. 109-110.
- Harold B. Lee, Stand Ye in Holy Places, pp. 162-163.
It should also be noted that this "hierarchy" matches exactly the first testimonial on the "DNA Evidence for Book of Mormon Geography" web site:
...In working for the Church I was told to use for research only: 1) the scriptures 2) Joseph Smith and 3) the words of the Prophets, while they were prophets. All else was to be considered opinion. This is why I couldn't go along with the traditional sites of Book of Mormon Lands, as well as numerous textual evidences within the Book itself... (03.02.08 Name withheld) DNA Evidence for Book of Mormon Geography—Testimonials off-site
It should be noted that the “hierarchy” that is set up is designed to lead to the conclusion that the "statements of Joseph Smith" supersede the "statements of the current prophet while he is a prophet." On May 4, 2007 the First Presidency made a significant statement which it published on the Church Website. They clarified what is meant by official Church "doctrine". Church doctrine is only something that is:
1) proclaimed under inspiration by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
2) when the above individuals authorize it in Church publications,
3) it is in the four Standard Works
4) official declarations and proclamations, and
5) the Articles of Faith
The First Presidency went on to say:
"Not every statement made by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. A single statement made by a single leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, but is not meant to be officially binding for the whole Church."
The Lord's people and "high culture"
The presenter claims that Central America has become a popular location for Book of Mormon lands because they had a "high culture." The presenter asks: "When have the Lord's people ever been the highest culture?" The presenter claims that Israelites were "living on the mountains" and that the Lord's people have never been the "largest, greatest culture."
So, what did Joseph Smith himself have to say about this? The presenter ignores the words of Joseph Smith on this matter. Joseph claimed that the Book of Mormon people had "high culture:"
...a great and a mighty people had inhabited this continent-that the arts sciences and religion, had prevailed to a very great extent, and that there was as great and mighty cities on this continent as on the continent of Asia. Babylon, Ninevah, nor any of the ruins of the Levant could boast of more perfect sculpture, better architectural designs, and more imperishable ruins, than what are found on this continent. (Joseph Smith, Dean C. Jessee, The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, [original edition] (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book, 1984). ISBN 0877479747. GL direct link) (emphasis added)
As noted below, the words "this content" are defined by Webster's 1828 dictionary as the Western continent, comprising the North and South American landmass.
Genetics
In the seminar, it is claimed that all races on the earth descended from one of three "supergroups" associated with the sons of Noah:
- All Caucasians are claimed to be descendants of Shem.
- All Asians are claimed to be descendants of Japheth.
- All Blacks are claimed to be descendants of Ham.
The presenter claims that "Ham's descendants went to Egypt" and that "Japeth went into the Asia area." Note: This racial assignment does not even match the traditional assignment of Japeth to the "white" race, Shem to the "red" race and Ham to the "black" race.
The designation of race in this manner is overly simplistic and ignores basic principles of population genetics. The "racialization" of Noah's sons is a modern invention, and has nothing to do with genetics. According to Stephen R. Haynes:
The familiar connection of Noah's sons with Europe, Asia, and Africa (the three regions of the Old World) developed only "slowly and tentatively" in the first centuries of the common era. What became the conventional "three son, three continent view" was elaborated by Alcuin (732-804) and refined in the twelfth century by Peter Comester (ca. 1100-1179). But these medieval associations were unstable, and the assignment of Ham to Africa, Shem to Asia, and Japheth to Europe was not inscribed on the European mind until the Age of Exploration.[9] By the nineteenth century, the same intellectual and social forces that contributed to the racialization of Noah's prophecy came to bear on Genesis 10, which was consistently read as an account of humanity's racial origins and as proof that "racial distinctions and national barriers proceed from God." [10] [1]
The reason for a "two-Cumorah" theory
The presenter claims that the reason that a "two-Cumorah theory" had to be developed was because "we wanted to believe in Central America" as the location for the Book of Mormon.
Endnotes
- [note] Stephen R. Haynes, Noah's Curse: The Biblical Justification of American Slavery, (Oxford University Press, 2002), p. 5. [ATTENTION!] Add Haynes refs [9] and [10] here.