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The FAIR JournalThe FAIR Journal is published monthly. It contains information about new apologetic information at the FAIR Web site. If you would like to sign up to receive the FAIR Journal automatically, click here. To return to the index of past FAIR Journal issues, click here.
THE FAIR JOURNAL July 2004
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The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research
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Apologetics: The branch of theology that is concerned with
defending or proving the truth of Christian doctrines. (The
American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth
Edition, 2000.)
INSIDE THE JOURNAL
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* MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT. FAIR's Sixth Annual Mormon
Apologetics Conference is next Thursday and Friday! Now is the
time to register for this exciting event!
* NEW ON THE WEBSITE: DNA and the Book of Mormon. David Stewart
responds to the recent DNA-based arguments against the Book of
Mormon historicity, arguing that the current scientific evidence
doesn't preclude the Book of Mormon claims.
* FAIR ONLINE BOOKSTORE. Check out the latest FAIR Bookstore
specials. For those attending the FAIR Conference, be ready to
find the best selection of LDS apologetics available!
* ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS. Interested in writing for FAIR? Learn how
you can have your apologetics work published.
* PUBLISHING NOTES. Learn how you can become more involved in FAIR
and how you can reuse the material we publish.
* FAIR JOURNAL ARCHIVES.
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Now is the time to purchase tickets to the FAIR conference on August
5th and 6th in Sandy, Utah. This will be an event you won't want to
miss. Not only will you be able to listen to talks and presentations
that are first rate, but you will also be able to meet with the
speakers and talk with them one-on-one. We will also have a bookstore
with more books than it has ever had before. Sign up now at
http://www.fairlds.org/conf04a.html
This year's conference features fifteen outstanding speakers and
presenters who will deal with a wide range of topics involving LDS
history, doctrine, and culture. For example, Margaret Young, co-author
with Darius Gray of the "Standing On the Promises" trilogy, will be
giving a presentation entitled "Empathetic Imagination: Reading
Between the Lines in 'Standing On the Promises.'" Using events in the
lives of some early pioneers, she will address the difficulty
Latter-day Saints face in dealing with the race issue without empathy.
Other topics in this year's conference include the Book of Abraham,
the apostasy, the King Follett Discourse, the historicity of the Book
of Mormon, the Book of Mormon witnesses, homosexuality, black
Latter-day Saint issues, women in the Church, testimony and Church
history, anti-Mormon (mis)uses of history, defending the faith, and
more!
You can read about each of the 2004 FAIR Conference presenters at
http://www.fairlds.org/conf04b.html
For those of you who are attending the conference, don't forget to
bring your old books and apologetic stuff to the FAIR auction. FAIR is
a non profit organization and we rely on your donations. Donating your
old books will help fund FAIR.
On a different note, once again you will probably start to see
articles in your newspapers on DNA and the book of Mormon. A new book
has been released claiming that DNA proves the Book of Mormon false,
and the press is scooping it up again. For a number of articles that
respond to this claim go to
http://www.fairlds.org/apol/ai195.html
Those interested in this topic should also be sure to read David
Stewart's paper that is discussed in this issue of the FAIR Journal.
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DNA and the Book of Mormon
by David Stewart
Over the last year, critics of the Book of Mormon have been extremely
vocal in their attacks on this book of LDS scripture. The latest round
of ammunition was provided by Thomas Murphy, who pronounced that
recent DNA studies of Native Americans preclude any genetic tie to
Jewish populations in the eastern Mediterranean. LDS scholars have
responded to these attacks in a variety of ways, arguing (1) the bases
of the DNA studies don't provide the evidence needed to test Murphy's
hypothesis, (2) the DNA studies used by Murphy don't support his
conclusion, and (3) even if Israelite DNA (whatever that may be) has
not yet been discovered in Native Americans genetic surveys, a
"limited geography model" for the Book of Mormon could account for its
absence.
David Stewart has written a lengthy response to the Murphy challenge,
arguing that the DNA evidence available is too weak to argue against
even a hemispheric model of the Book of Mormon. Stewart points out
that LDS Church leaders have often referred to descendants of Native
Americans and Polynesian populations as "Lamanites" and descendants of
Lehi, and that the recent DNA arguments against the Book of Mormon
give no reason to abandon that position or to modify what is meant by
those terms.
Stewart shows that there is no current accepted genetic fingerprint
for Jewish populations prior to the Babylonian captivity. In his
paper, Stewart looks at a number of the DNA markers and studies used
by Murphy and others to reach their conclusions. Stewart points out
that non-Israelite wives were not uncommon (such as Ruth and the wives
of Solomon), and that their female descendants would test negative for
whatever mitochondrial DNA signatures were accepted for Israelites. He
points to problems that exist even with limited subgroups of
Israelites, such as the Cohen priestly line and the Levite
populations, and how even in these relatively well-defined subgroups
there is such a wide variance in DNA markers as to make any conclusion
about generic "Jewish DNA" impossible.
Stewart concludes that "a careful examination of the existing DNA data
demonstrates that this data is in no way inconsistent with the
teaching of LDS prophets that immigrants from ancient Israel represent
the 'principal ancestors' of modern Native Americans."
Read the article: http://www.fairlds.org/Book_of_Mormon/DNA_and_the_Book_of_Mormon_2.html
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FAIR ONLINE BOOKSTORE
The FAIR LDS Bookstore is in the process of packing up for our annual
conference and we've found some great buys for you! One such book is
"Be Still, My Son." This is the true story of a boy born into a
typical Latter-day Saint family but whose father leaves the church
seeking out a polygamous lifestyle in Short Creek, Arizona. Through a
series of life-altering events, he learns to "wait on the Lord and
trust him." This is a powerful story of one man's journey to elusive
happiness.
For this and other specials, visit our bookstore at:
http://bookstore.fairlds.org
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ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS
We welcome article submissions for the FAIR Journal and website. If
you would like to submit an article, please review the editing
guidelines at:
http://www.fairlds.org/EdStyle.pdf
Submit your article to the FAIR Journal Editor, Paul McNabb
(FAIR contact page). An appropriate article would be one that
affirms the truthfulness of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
While LDS apologetics (in the broadest sense) deals with refuting
critics of the Church, articles don't necessarily have to deal with
anti-Mormonism, but may deal with some new evidence of the Book of
Mormon, some interesting scripture interpretation, a viewpoint or
quote from the early Christian Fathers or other historical figures, an
interesting lesson idea, an inspiring missionary story, Church
history, or your view on a current event related to the Church or a
piece from a historical journal.
We may also accept articles from people who are not members of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that may not necessarily
meet the guidelines of supporting the church if it is a topic of
general interest to people involved in apologetics.
A submission may range in length from several pages to a single
paragraph.
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PUBLISHING NOTES
FAIR is not owned, controlled by or affiliated with the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All research and opinions provided
in the FAIR Journal and on the FAIR website (http://www.fairlds.org)
are the sole responsibility of FAIR, and should not be interpreted as
official statements of LDS doctrine, belief or practice.
If someone has forwarded this e-journal to you and you would like to
join, you should go to www.fairlds.org and click on the "Join &
Support FAIR" link.
If you are very interested in apologetics and would like to actively
participate in FAIR you should consider joining our apologetics e-mail
list. Visit www.fairlds.org and click on the "Join & Support FAIR"
link to join this list as well.
If you manage your own e-mail list, and wish to include some of these
thoughts or articles on your list, contact us through our Web site, at
this page: www.fairlds.org/contact.psp. We have a fairly liberal policy of using our
material as long as you contact us first to gain permission and
clearly identify that your source was FAIR and by adding a link to the
FAIR website (www.fairlds.org).
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FAIR JOURNAL ARCHIVES
For past issues of the FAIR Journal, go to
http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Journal
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Copyright (c) 2004 by The Foundation for Apologetic Information and
Research (FAIR). All rights reserved.
If you would like to sign up to receive the FAIR Journal automatically, click here. To return to the index of past FAIR Journal issues, click here.
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FAIR is not owned, controlled by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All research and opinions provided on this site are the sole responsibility of FAIR, and should not be interpreted as official statements of LDS doctrine, belief or practice. If you like what FAIR does and you agree with our mission, we invite you to support FAIR in any way you are able. You can make a donation, or visit our Membership page for additional support ideas. FAIR only succeeds through the efforts of our gracious volunteers.
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