Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church [Paperback]

After having just read "Losing a Lost Tribe" from cover to cover I give Dr. Southerton's research and writing a well deserved five star rating.

The author demystifies and simplifies what the Mormon apologists mystify and complicate. For example Southerton asks this basic but brilliant question. "Ten centuries ago a handful of Norse sailors slipped into Newfoundland, established small colonies, traded with local natives, the sailed back into the fog of history. In spite of the small scale of their settlements and the brevity of their stay, unequivocal evidence of their presence has been found. Just six centuries earlier the Book of Mormon tells us, a climactic battle between fair-skinned Nephites and dark-skinned Lamanites ended a millennial dominion by a literate, Christian, Bronze Age civilization with a population numbering in the millions. Decades of serious and honest scholarship have failed to uncover credible evidence that these Book of Mormon civilizations ever existed. How is it that they remain a great civilization vanished without a trace, the people along with their genes?" (page 199)

From Southerton's expert vantage point he vividly describes the widening three-way chasm between Latter-day prophets, their own BYU based apologists and their faithful flock The DNA science that Southerton clearly lays out is forcing the Mormon prophets, apologists and LDS adherents to bend themselves into pretzel like positions in order to maintain their faith and keep their church in a more politically correct big business.

After reading Southerton's account I liken the conflict brewing between the current Mormon prophet Gordon B. Hinckley and BYU's FARMS to the maneuvering in a professional wrestling tag-team match where opponents fail to pin the other down while the faithful fans cheer them on. The bluffing bravado between the opponents smacks of image cosmetics lacking any substance to the event itself. However, there indeed may be a continuing entertainment factor in watching subsequent rounds of this comedy of errors. In my opinion Southerton's DNA science "body slams" both rivals.

Southerton displays a keen sensitivity toward Native Americans ethnicity and culture while the Book of Mormon treats these people as objects of a "1820's frontier whiteman" racial bias and prejudice. After contemplating the author's writings I recommend that the LDS Church offer a written official apology to the hundreds indigenous nations of the Western Hemisphere for hoisting such Book of Mormon insults and racial slurs upon them. Sadly, the book after which Mormonism obtained its name sake may become its own "darkened curse."

Ironically Southerton's work points out how the Mormon Church views science as an enemy to the Book of Mormon tradition rather than as a liberating tool of truth. Unfortunately current Mormon leaders interpret DNA as "Do Not Acknowledge."

I commend Dr. Southerton for the personal courage required to publicly disavow his LDS faith of origin rather than sweep his discoveries under the proverbial carpet.

Although this book is not a "silver bullet" through the heart of Mormonism, it presents sufficient information about Native American and Polynesian molecular genetics as to call into question the traditional claims of Mormonism.

Southerton's credentials, as a scientist and as a Mormon, cannot be questioned. He knows what he is talking about when it comes to Mormon history, doctrine, and traditions. As a molecular geneticist, he also has a firm grasp of the science of genetics. He presents his facts in a straight-forward, readable manner. Even non-scientists will be able to understand his presentation of genetics without any difficulty.

Regrettably, too few Mormons will even be aware of this book, let alone the facts that Southerton presents. However, for the serious investigator, this presents information that should be considered before "buying into" the Mormon version of the Book of Mormon.

The serious reader who gives this book an unemotional reading will have definite cause to question the claims made by the Mormon Church for the origins of the Book of Mormon.

For a person simply interested in the origins of Native Americans and Polynesians, this book gives a concise, but accurate account that will be of interest. For those interested in further research, Southerton provides a comprehensive bibliograpy.

I highly recommend this book.

LDS "wannabe" marine's histrionic meltdown notwithstanding, Southerton's book lays out clearly, concisely, and accurately the case against the Book of Mormon being the literal history of a group of Israelites in the Western Hemisphere from 600 BCE to 421 CE. Use of DNA testing has put the final nail in the BoM as historical text's coffin. Previous efforts to find archaelogical and linguistic support for the book have failed, with one noted investigator losing his faith and cursing its founder. Southerton's book should give faithful Mormons cause to evaluate their faith and reconsider assumptions about the book's historicity.