Title: Testing the Creation Model of the LDS Church
1Testing the Creation Model of the LDS Church
- Richard Deem
- Evidence for God from Science
- www.GodAndScience.org
2Why Test Religious Claims?
?
- Determine the truth
- Adopt a valid worldview
- Lead others to develop a valid worldview
3Is It Fair to Test LDS Theology?
- According to Joseph Smith, all Christianity had
become apostate and was an abomination in the
sight of God - Current official teaching of the LDS church
teaches that error crept into Church doctrine
and that the true Church was destroyed - Christians have the right and responsibility to
defend the indestructible Church that Jesus
Christ established in the first century
4Overview of LDS Theology
- Standard works
- Bible (Old and New Testament)
- Book of Mormon
- Doctrine and Covenants
- Pearl of Great Price
- Some or all of previous revelation may be
superceded by the current prophet - This presentation uses the official LDS teaching
book Gospel Principles
5Overview of the LDS Creation Model
- Heavens and the earth were created by a council
of gods - The God of this world (Elohim) was once a man who
worked his way to godhead - Gods are created
- Celestial procreation produces spirit children
- Spirit children can progress to godhead
- Matter is eternal
6The LDS Creation Model
- Heavens and the earth were created by a council
of gods - the Council of the Eternal God of all other
gods before this world was (DC 12132) - The Gods plan the creation of the earth and all
life thereon (PoGPAbraham 4Heading) - And they went down at the beginning, and they,
that is the Gods, organized and formed the
heavens and the earth. (PoGPAbraham 41)
7The LDS Creation Model
- The God of this world (Elohim) was once a man who
worked his way to godhead - The Father has a body of flesh and bones as
tangible as mans (DC 13022) - This is the way our Heavenly Father became God.
Joseph Smith taught It is the first principle
of the Gospel to know for a certainty the
character of God. . . . He was once a man like
us . . . God himself, the Father of us all,
dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ
himself did (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith, pp. 345-46). (Gospel Principles, 1997.
Chapter 47 EXALTATION).
8The LDS Creation Model
- Obedient humans can become gods
- If we prove faithful to the Lord, we will live
in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom of
heaven. We will become exalted, just like our
Heavenly FatherThese are some of the
blessings given to exalted people2. They will
become gods.(Gospel Principles, 1997. Chapter 47
EXALTATION. - Celestial marriage and a continuation of the
family unit enable men to become gods (DC
Section 132Heading)
9The LDS Creation Model
- Gods are created through celestial procreation
- our Heavenly Father called a Grand Council to
present his plan for our progression (see
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 348,
349, 365). We learned that if we followed his
plan, we would become like him. We would have a
resurrected body we would have all power in
heaven and on earth we would become heavenly
parents and have spirit children just as he does
(see DC 13219-20). - Gospel Principles, Chapter 2, Our Heavenly
Family
10The LDS Creation Model
- Matter is eternal
- Since gods are created, matter must be eternal
- Problems
- Scientists agree that matter (along with energy,
space and time) was created at the Big Bang - How did matter create the first god?
11E-mail From an LDS Member
- Cosmology today postulates an initial explosion
(the Big Bang) from which our universe has
emerged the beginning for energy and all the
associated laws of physics, chemistry, et al.
This is great for Christianity. It certainly
appears that science supports the Biblical in
the beginning which is interpreted to define a
creation of the Heavens and the Earth out of
nothing I think it is safe to say that Mormons
don't believe in the Big Bang.
12Book of Mormon Overview
- Another testament of Jesus Christ
- Recorded by the prophet Mormon
- Claims to be an account of two great
civilizations in the Americas - Jaredites (from the scattering at the Tower of
Babel) - Nephites and the Lamanites (from Jerusalem in 600
B.C.)
13Book of Mormon Errors
- Archeology
- Metals
- Weapons
- Agriculture
- Textiles
- Animals
- Calendars
- Religion
- Racial characteristics
- Genetics
14Smithsonian Institution Letter
15Archeology
- Metals (in coins, weapons, and buildings)
- Weapons of war (chariots, scimitars, swords,
breastplates) - Crops (wheat and barley)
- Specialized fabrics (linen and silk)
- Animals (donkey, cattle, oxen, horse, pig, and
elephants) - Calendar
16Metals in the Book of Mormon
- Book of Mormon claims that iron, steel, brass,
copper, silver and gold found in Americas before
Christ - These metals were said to be found in coins,
weapons, and buildings
17Metal Use in the Americas
- Metallurgy did not occur until at least 900 A.D.
- Stone weapons in use at time Spanish
conquistadors arrived - Depictions of metals/metal work in art did not
appear until 1000 A.D.
18Weapons in the Book of Mormon
- Book of Mormon claims that chariots were used in
Americas before Christ - Book of Mormon describes use of scimitars
(spelled cimiter in Book of Mormon), steel
swords and brass breastplates
19Weapons in the Americas
- No chariots or even wheeled vehicles used
- No metal weapons prior to 1000 A.D.
- Millions died in battle at Hill Cumorah no
weapons or remains found
20Agriculture in the Book of Mormon
- The Book of Mormon describes the growing of crops
that require the use of plows and specialized
farming techniques - Book of Mormon crops included wheat and barley
21Agriculture in the Americas
- Many ancient American Cultures were
hunter-gatherers - No evidence of plows (as actual artifacts or in
artwork) - No evidence of either wheat or barley
- Crops know to be grown by ancient Americans, such
as chocolate, lima beans, squash, potatoes, and
tomatoes are not mentioned in the Book of Mormon
22Textiles in the Book of Mormon
- The Book of Mormon describes the use of linen and
silk - No evidence for the growing of flax (used to make
linen) has been found in pre-Columbian sites - No evidence of silkworms or the technology
required to produce silk material has been found - No linen or silk items have been found
23Textiles in the Americas
- Textiles have been found dating from as early as
5800 B.C.
- Elaborate weaving and patterns found in textiles
dating from 600 B.C. (date Nephites and Lamanites
were said to have sailed to the Americas)
24Animals in the Book of Mormon
- The Book of Mormon claims that the following Old
World animals were found in ancient America - Donkeys
- Cattle
- Oxen
- Horses
- Pigs
- Elephants
25Animals in the Americas
- Mammoths, mastodons, and horses had disappeared
from the American continents 10,000 years ago - Donkeys, cattle, oxen, horses, and pigs were
introduced on the continent by the Spanish after
1492
26Calendars in the Book of Mormon
- The Book of Mormon claims that ancient Americans
practiced a seven day week - This week was said to have consisted of six days
of work and a seventh day of rest
27Calendars in the Americas
- 260-day cycle divided into 13 months of twenty
days (used by most of the ancient Mesoamericans) - 365-day cycle, divided into 18 months of twenty
days. The five leftover days were called the
resting, or sleep of the year. - 3276-day cycle divided into four quadrants of 819
days (the product of 7 x 9 x 13, all sacred
numbers to the Maya). - Long count calendar counted days from the
creation of the world (said to be on August 11,
3114 B.C.)
28Religion in the Book of Mormon
- The Book of Mormon claims that ancient Americans
were monotheistic and worshipped the God of the
Hebrews
29Religion in the Americas
- Religion in the Americas included human
sacrifice, including child sacrifice
30Racial Characteristics of Ancient Americans
- All native peoples of the Americas are
dark-skinned - Depictions of native peoples in the period
artwork shows dark-skinned peoples
- No evidence for the white, and exceedingly fair
and delightsome. Nephites
31Genetics in the Book of Mormon
- Book of Mormon claims
- DNA studies
- LDS objections based on science
- LDS objections based upon textual interpretation
32Book of Mormon Claims
- Native Americans are descended from Hebrews
- ...Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant
of the house of Israel.. (Title Page 12) - ...the Lamanites, and they are the principal
ancestors of the American Indians (Introduction
Preface1-2) - ...I speak unto you Lamanites, ye remnant of
the house of Israel and these are the words
which I speak Know ye that ye are of the house
of Israel. (Mormon 71-2) - Which is my word to the Gentile, that soon it
may go to the Jew, of whom the Lamanites are a
remnant... (DC Section 1927)
33DNA Studies on Native American Origins
- Y-chromosome
- mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA)
- Polymorphic Alu insertions
- Intestinal microbial flora
- Domesticated animals
34Y-Chromosome Studies
- SNP in DYS199 locus present in all 5 Native
American populations and in Siberian Chukchi
populations - Examination of more than 2,500 Y-chromosomes of
wide geographic origin indicated this
polymorphism is found only in Native American and
Asian populations (not found in African,
Australoid, or Caucasian European populations)
35Y-Chromosome Studies
- Haplotype M3 present in 66 of NA males found in
Chukotka peninsula in Siberia - Haplotype M45 present in 25 of NA males found in
Lower Amur River and Sea of Okhotsk regions of
eastern Siberia - Haplotype RPS4Y-T present in 5 of NA males found
in the Lower Amur River/Sea of Okhotsk region of
Siberia
36Y-Chromosome Studies
- Polymorphisms of Native American populations show
a gradient of polymorphisms extending from North
to South America - Such a gradient is expected from an Asian
migration through the Bering Strait - Book of Mormon suggests that a genetic gradient
should extend in the opposite direction
37Mitochondrial DNA
- Four Native American haplotypes (A-D) found in
50 of native Mongolians - NA HVS-1 haplotype found in 50-70 of aboriginal
Siberians - Genetic studies set the date for the origination
of these haplotypes at 20,000 - 30,000 years ago
38Polymorphic Alu Insertions
- Alu family of retroposons is present at an
extremely large copy numbers within the
chromosomes of the human genome (500,000
copies/genome equivalent) - Five polymorphic Alu insertions were examined
from 24 Native American populations - The comparison showed a close similarity between
Chinese and Native American populations
39Intestinal Microbial Flora
- Helicobacter pylori, a chronic gastric pathogen
of human beings, can be found in virtually every
human population group - H. pylori strains can be genetically divided into
seven populations that exhibit distinct
geographical distributions - Native Americans have the same strain found in
East Asians
40Domesticated Animals
- Native Americans had domesticated dogs in their
settlements - All of these dogs were wiped out or interbred
with European dogs - Remains from pre-Columbian NA dogs
(Alaska,Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia) have been
genetically examined - mtDNA sequences show that Native American dogs
originated from Asian dogs who accompanied late
Pleistocene humans across the Bering Strait
41LDS Objections to the Genetic Studies
- Founder effect
- If one individual harbors a significant mutation
compared to the population he came from, the
genetics would be skewed toward that one
individual. - Genetic drift
- Results in isolated populations as selective
breeding occurs, skewing the genetics in a
particular direction
42LDS Objections Founder Effect
- All males descended from Lehi and all females
descended from Ishmael - Requires mutations of at least
- 6 Y-chromosome polymorphisms
- 4 mtDNA haplotypes
- 5 polymorphic Alu insertions
- Helicobacter pylori
- Canine mtDNA haplotypes
- All mutations must occur simultaneously and must
result in Asian haplotypes
43LDS Objections Genetic Drift
- Could genetic drift over 2,600 years account for
the loss of Jewish haplotypes in Native
Americans? - 700 year old remains show that Native American
mtDNA haplotypes have not changed significantly - The African Lemba tribe claims to have Jewish
roots - More than 50 of Lemba Y chromosomes carry
haplotypes that are common among Jewish
populations but absent in their African neighbors
44Other People Groups Are Primary Ancestors of
Native Americans
- Nephites Same Hebrew origins
- Mulekites (book of Omni) also of Hebrew origins
- Jaredites from the Tower of Babel. All except
one man were killed in a devastating war
45Lamanites Were a Small Group in Central America
- Doctrine and Covenants
- section 28 says that the city of Zion will be
built on the borders by the Lamanites. - indicate that Mormon leaders were to preach to
the Lamanites - relates the Lamanites to the Indian tribes in
the West - Gospel Principles
- teaches that The Lamanites Will Become a Great
People
46LDS Cosmology
- Matter is eternal
- Habitable planets exist at the center of our
galaxy
47Matter is eternal
A large body of astrophysical observations now
clearly points to a beginning for our universe
about 15 billion years ago... There is, in fact,
no evidence that any of the particles of matter
with which we are now familiar existed before
this great event. Louis J. Clavelli, Ph.D.,
Professor of Physics, University of Alabama
One of the major hypotheses on which modern
cosmology is based is that the Universe
originated in an explosion called the Big Bang,
in which all energy (and matter) that exists
today was created. Eric S Rowland, UC Santa Cruz
- Since gods are created, matter must be eternal
- Scientists agree that matter (along with energy,
space and time) was created at the Big Bang
48Planet Kolob is the Throne of God
- Pearl of Great Price
- And thus there shall be the reckoning of the time
of one planet above another, until thou come nigh
unto Kolob, which Kolob is after the reckoning of
the Lord's time which Kolob is set nigh unto the
throne of God, to govern all those planets which
belong to the same order as that upon which thou
standest. (PoGPAbraham 39)
49Kolob is at the Center of the Galaxy
- Pearl of Great Price
- Kolob is the throne of God (where God supposedly
lives) - Kolob governs other planets, including earth
- Therefore, Kolob must be at the center of our
galaxy, since this is the only position from
which it could govern the movement of the earth,
Sun, and moon.
50Light Borrowed From Kolob
- Pearl of Great Price
- Fig. 5. Is called in Egyptian Enish-go-on-dosh
this is one of the governing planets also, and is
said by the Egyptians to be the Sun, and to
borrow its light from Kolob through the medium of
Kae-e-vanrash, which is the grand Key, or, in
other words, the governing power, which governs
fifteen other fixed planets or stars, as also
Floeese or the Moon, the Earth and the Sun in
their annual revolutions. This planet receives
its power through the medium of Kli-flos-is-es,
or Hah-ko-kau-beam, the stars represented by
numbers 22 and 23, receiving light from the
revolutions of Kolob. (PoGPFacsimile 25)
51Light Produced by Fusion, Not Borrowed From Kolob
- Pearl of Great Price
- The Sun borrows its light from Kolob
- Other stars receive their power through the
revolutions of Kolob. - Science
- Sun produces light through nuclear fusion
- Other stars generate power through nuclear fusion
52Kolob Revolves Once Every 1,000 Years
- Pearl of Great Price
- And the Lord said unto me These are the
governing ones and the name of the great one is
Kolob, because it is near unto me, for I am the
Lord thy God that Kolob was after the manner of
the Lord, according to its times and seasons in
the revolutions thereof that one revolution was
a day unto the Lord, after his manner of
reckoning, it being one thousand years according
to the time appointed unto that whereon thou
standest. This is the reckoning of the Lord's
time, according to the reckoning of Kolob.
(PoGPAbraham 33-4)
53Scientific Problems With Kolob
- Scientific Problems
- Kolobs 1000 year rotation period would make it
extremely temperature variable. - The side that remained in darkness for 500 years
would be extremely cold (near absolute zero) - The side in the light for 500 years would become
very hot (likely several hundred degrees minimum)
54Scientific Problems With Kolob
- Scientific Problems
- Since Kolob governs the movements of the Earth
the Moon, and the Sun it must reside at the
center of our galaxy - Kolob would be subjected to extremely high levels
of radiation from our galaxys central black hole
- The chance of collision with other stellar
systems would be very high at this location in
our galaxy
55Summary of Scientific Problems
- According to official LDS doctrine
- Gods are created and matter is eternal
- God lives on an uninhabitable planet called Kolob
- Ancient Americans used metals in coins, buildings
and weapons - Ancients Americans grew plow agriculture crops,
such as wheat and barley
56Summary of Scientific Problems
- According to official LDS doctrine
- Ancients Americans made materials from linen and
silk - Ancient Americans raised donkeys, cattle, oxen,
horses, pigs, and elephants - Ancient Americans used a calendar consisting of a
seven day week - Ancient Americans were descendants of Hebrews
57Conclusions
- LDS standard works and official theology
contain numerous scientific errors in their
creation model - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
is a false religion