Posted on 12/22/2010 11:50:38 PM PST by delacoert
Thomas W. Murphy is the latest Mormon scholar to challenge key teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Murphy, 35, has likened the Book of Mormon, an essential LDS sacred text, to inspirational fiction.
Narrowly avoiding a disciplinary meeting, Murphy remains an LDS member of record for the time being.
Murphy is chairman of the anthropology department at Edmonds Community College in Lynnwood, Washington. Last year he wrote an essay, "Lamanite Genesis, Genealogy, and Genetics," for a Signature Books anthology called American Apocrypha. Murphy concluded, "dna research lends no support to traditional Mormon beliefs about the origins of Native Americans." Murphy's doctoral dissertation is the basis of the essay. The Book of Mormon details migrations of Israelites to the Western Hemisphere more than 4,200 years ago. According to the book, some of the people were Lamanites, cursed with dark skin because of sin. The current introduction to the Book of Mormon claims that Lamanites were ancestors of American Indians.
In his essay, Murphy reviewed recent human molecular genealogy studies that contradict that claim. "To date no intimate genetic link has been found between ancient Israelites and the indigenous peoples of the Americas," Murphy said.
He noted that researchers genetically link American Indians with native Siberians. Murphy told The Chronicle of Higher Education that some Mormon intellectuals want to debate the Book of Mormon "as fiction, possibly inspired, but as fiction."
...
Excommunicated Mormon historian Lavina Fielding Anderson told Signature Books that at least two other scholars have faced expulsion in recent months. According to critics, six other scholars, including Anderson, faced church discipline in 1993.
(Excerpt) Read more at christianitytoday.com ...
care to prove that LOL
Read his post that I responded to. It’s plain and simple. Black and white. I’m not doing this for you either. It’s there IF you really want to see it.
Merry Christmas!
Years ago I met the late Mormon scholar, Hugh Nibley, down in Utah.
Very impressive researcher, apologist for the Mormon faith, and familiar with many ancient languages and texts.
I believe he never doubted his faith, so there are some who remain quite faithful...
Many current scholars in Utah have doubts about the validity of the faith but remain “cultural” Mormons because it is hard to break away from what you have always been a part of...
Yes, your standard non-answer, thought so.
My apologies, didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable!
I didn’t say I was uncomfortable. I said I consider some conversations private.
Ah, perhaps that was just my take on your use of the word comfortable.
Are you deliberately pushing a public discussion of this for some reason? I mean if you were truly personally interested in my faith you could pursue a private discussion as I have repeatedly suggested. You have not pursued that avenue, but continued a public airing. Why?
PD...The Only Begotten of the Father BEFORE the world began loves ya with an everlasting love!
Um, actually all I did was try and apologize and you keep posting. I asked you nothing more than what you had already posted in public.
If you are not comfortable, so be it. It doesn’t matter to me one way or the other.
If you wont honor a plain request to take a discussion out of public view, so be it.
If you wont honor a plain request to take a discussion out of public view, so be it.
If you wont honor a plain request to take a discussion out of public view, so be it.
If you wont honor a plain request to take a discussion out of public view, so be it.
If you wont honor a plain request to take a discussion out of public view, so be it.
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