Critics of the Book of Mormon have argued that DNA evidence has demonstrated once and for all that the book was contrived by Joseph Smith and is hence a fraud.
They appeal to the precision of DNA evidence and tout their conclusions as being objective, verifiable, assumption free, and decisive.
However, these critics have not given us anything that would pass the muster of peer review by scientists in this field, because they have ignored the real complexity of the issues involved.
Further, they have overlooked the entire concept of hypothesis testing in science and believe that just because they label their results as "based on DNA," they have somehow proved that the results are accurate or that they have designed the experiment correctly.
At best, they have demonstrated that the global colonization hypothesis is an oversimplified interpretation of the Book of Mormon.
At worst, they have misrepresented themselves and the evidence in the pursuit of other agendas.
It is interesting that only ardent Mormons, some of whom admittedly have some expertise, claim that DNA evidence does not indicate a non-Jewish origin for American Indians. And for that matter a 10,000+ year isolation from Old World DNA.
As far as I know, no non-Mormon expert in the field agrees with them.
I doubt these scientists are all anti-Mormon. I suspect most of them are mainly amused by the controversy.
Cat got your tongue now that the DNA is inconclusive??
Critics of the Book of Mormon have argued that DNA evidence has demonstrated once and for all that the book was contrived by Joseph Smith and is hence a fraud.
They appeal to the precision of DNA evidence and tout their conclusions as being objective, verifiable, assumption free, and decisive.
However, these critics have not given us anything that would pass the muster of peer review by scientists in this field, because they have ignored the real complexity of the issues involved.
Further, they have overlooked the entire concept of hypothesis testing in science and believe that just because they label their results as “based on DNA,” they have somehow proved that the results are accurate or that they have designed the experiment correctly.
At best, they have demonstrated that the global colonization hypothesis is an oversimplified interpretation of the Book of Mormon.
At worst, they have misrepresented themselves and the evidence in the pursuit of other agendas.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1828301/posts?page=1419#1419