[Hodar]

Didn't Joseph Smith indicate this in his relevations/translations? LDS freepers? Funny how an uneduated farm kid, who is accused of starting a 'cult' has been (or is being) validated by modern science.

[StolarStorm]

Yeah...., but what's with the funny underwear?

[Poohbah]

Didn't Joseph Smith indicate this in his relevations/translations? LDS freepers? Funny how an uneduated farm kid, who is accused of starting a 'cult' has been (or is being) validated by modern science.

Hmm.

The Mormons claim that there was an ancient and extensive culture, brought from Israel by immigrants, in ancient North America.

Just one question:

Where's that civilization's garbage?

[Democratic_Machiavelli]

You're LDS, right? Know any LDS FReepers who'd be interested in this?

A "questions are being asked" ping.

[kcamtx]

If you do some research you will find that all American indian names are rooted in the Paleo-Hebrew language. The language of all people before the Tower of Babel.

[xm177e2]

Didn't Joseph Smith also say the natives here were white, and were turned dark-skinned by God when they refused to accept Him? (or something like that)

Because that don't exactly follow modern science...

[Quix]

I don't think I'd go that far.

The difference between what the charlatan asserted and the Cherokee thing seem extensive enough to me.

I'm not impressed with a largely plagerized 'theology' by someone convicted a number of times of defrauding farmers . . .

telling farmers he had a secret map found on each of the farmer's property . . . but that he needed a grub stake to buy equipment to dig it up--that he'd split the treasure with each farmer if they'd put up the grub stake. Of course, having that money, Joseph was never heard from again.

Then there's the fun story from the father of my best man at my wedding . . . My friend's great granddad--or was it great great granddad--I forget--anyway--evidently some of Joseph's staff either convinced him or went along with his grand idea to walk on water. So they strung some chicken wire just below the surface for some distance and at the appointed time, Joseph proceded to 'walk on water' until some character on the scene undid part of the chicken wire and he sank into the lake--to the amusement of the assembled crowd.

[yellowroses]

I'm LDS. I believe there is truth here. I don't have all the answers. Neither does science. The source of all knowledge is Our Heavenly Father, and someday, we'll be able to get the answers to all our questions.

[ApesForEvolution]

Joseph Smith, the co-author of Mormonism (the father of all the lies, satan, being the other), nor Mormonism have been validated one iota. You have a 'linking' challenge here.

[P-Marlowe]

The masada incident occurred in 66 AD and Masada was builty by King Herod. Now the Book of mormon has the Jews coming over in 600 b.c. over 600 years BEFORE Masada was built.

If this story of the Cherokee connection to Masada is true, it does not validate Joseph Smith, it repudiates him.

You'd better go looking for some new golden plates because the ones Joe Smith dug up are not vindicated by this legend.

Keep Trying.

[Hila]

Please, J. Smith was a false prophet.

[Antoninus]

Funny how an uneduated farm kid, who is accused of starting a 'cult' has been (or is being) validated by modern science.

You're kidding, right? Validated? The claims made in this article are beyond tenuous. It was written for pure shock value. If there is real, hard, genetic or linguistic evidence of such a connection, let them present it. Explorers and pseudo-scientists have been blathering about the Indians being the "lost tribes of Israel" almost from the time of Columbus. No direct or indirect link has EVER been established.

The closest anyone has come is the genetic link between the mysterious Melungeons of Appalachia and Mediterranean peoples. But there's no indication that they're Jewish--probably Portuguese.