Criticism of Mormonism/Books/Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church/Chapter 4

FAIR Answers—back to home page

Response to claims made in "Chapter 4: The Lamanites of Polynesia"

Chapter 3

A FAIR Analysis of: Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church A work by author: Simon G. Southerton

Chapter 6

Response to claim: 47 - The assumption that Polynesians are descendants of Lehi is the "most precarious" belief taken from the Book of Mormon

The author(s) of Losing a Lost Tribe make(s) the following claim:

The assumption that Polynesians are descendants of Lehi is the "most precarious" belief taken from the Book of Mormon.

Author's sources: No source given.

FAIR's Response

Logical Fallacy: Appeal to Ridicule—The author is presenting the argument in such a way that it makes his or her subject look ridiculous, usually by misrepresenting the argument or exaggerating it.

Taking the position that Lehi existed, then population genetics predicts that virtually all Amerindians and Polynesians are his literal descendants. They are simply not exclusively his descendants. The author wants to make Lehite links absurd or impossible.

Response to claim: 47 - "Mormon folklore" suggests that Hagoth colonized the Pacific

The author(s) of Losing a Lost Tribe make(s) the following claim:

"Mormon folklore" suggests that Hagoth colonized the Pacific.

Author's sources: Alma 63꞉5

FAIR's Response

Fact checking results: The author has stated erroneous information or misinterpreted their sources

It is not clear what normative value "folklore" has. LDS scripture suggests that Hagoth probably voyaged to the Pacific. If he left any descendants, they probably persist among Pacific Islanders.

• All from Lehi?
• Book of Mormon/Lamanites/Relationship to Polynesians

Response to claim: 48 - George Q. Cannon taught the Polynesians that they were descendents of the Israelites

The author(s) of Losing a Lost Tribe make(s) the following claim:

George Q. Cannon taught the Polynesians that they were descendents of the Israelites.

Author's sources: Scott G. Kenny, "Mormons and the Smallpox Epidemic of 1853," The Hawaiian Journal of History, 31:1-26 (1997).

FAIR's Response

Response  Author(s) impose(s) own fundamentalism on the Saints: The LDS are not prophetic infalliblists, but in this case Cannon may well be right. If Lehi had descendants, then population genetics tells us that the Polynesians are probably among them.

• All from Lehi?
• Book of Mormon/Lamanites/Relationship to Polynesians

Response to claim: 49 - Brigham Young stated in 1958 that the Polynesians were descendents of Abraham

The author(s) of Losing a Lost Tribe make(s) the following claim:

Brigham Young stated in 1958 that the Polynesians were descendents of Abraham.

Author's sources: Norman Douglas, "The Sons of Lehi and the Seed of Cain: Racial Myths in Mormon Scripture and Their Relevance to the Pacific Islands," Journal of Religious History, 8:90-104 (1974).

FAIR's Response

Response  Author(s) impose(s) own fundamentalism on the Saints: The LDS are not prophetic infalliblists, but in this case Brigham may well be right. If Lehi had descendants, then population genetics tells us that the Polynesians are probably among them.

• All from Lehi?
• Book of Mormon/Lamanites/Relationship to Polynesians

Response to claim: 49 - The "curse was redefined" to apply only to people of African descent

The author(s) of Losing a Lost Tribe make(s) the following claim:

The "curse was redefined" to apply only to people of African descent.

Author's sources: No source given.

FAIR's Response

Response  History unclear or in error: there is no evidence that the Book of Mormon curse on Lamanites ever forbade them the priesthood if they repented. The author is confusing two quite separate issues.

• Book of Mormon/Lamanites/Curse
• Blacks and the priesthood

Response to claim: 52 - Words spoken in General Conference are considered to be "akin" to scripture

The author(s) of Losing a Lost Tribe make(s) the following claim:

Words spoken in General Conference are considered to be "akin" to scripture.

Author's sources: No source given.

FAIR's Response

Response  Author(s) impose(s) own fundamentalism on the Saints: Church doctrine/Statements by Church leaders

Response to claim: 53 - Research has confirmed that there are strong links between Polynesia and the Orient

The author(s) of Losing a Lost Tribe make(s) the following claim:

Research has confirmed that there are strong links between Polynesia and the Orient.

Author's sources: No source given.

FAIR's Response

Response There is nothing about the Book of Mormon that would preclude this. Throughout this section, the author reads the Book of Mormon in the most naive way possible. But, for at least a hundred years before, leaders and members were saying very similar things. He is simply uninformed about LDS thought on the topic.

Response to claim: 54 - Spencer W. Kimball and Heber J. Grant believed that the islanders were descendents of Lehi

The author(s) of Losing a Lost Tribe make(s) the following claim:

Spencer W. Kimball and Heber J. Grant believed that the islanders were descendents of Lehi.

Author's sources: Spencer W. Kimball, "First Presidency Message: Our Paths Have Met Again," Ensign, 5:2-7 (1975)

FAIR's Response

Response  Author(s) impose(s) own fundamentalism on the Saints: The LDS are not prophetic infalliblists, but in this case these two Church presidents may well be right.

Logical Fallacy: Appeal to Ridicule—The author is presenting the argument in such a way that it makes his or her subject look ridiculous, usually by misrepresenting the argument or exaggerating it.

Taking the position that Lehi existed, then population genetics predicts that virtually all Amerindians and Polynesians are his literal descendants. They are simply not exclusively his descendants. The author wants to make Lehite links absurd or impossible.

Response to claim: 54 - The Church invested "vast sums of money" to build church schools in Polynesia, Mexico and Central and South America, but "denied" these benefits to Micronesia and Melanesia

The author(s) of Losing a Lost Tribe make(s) the following claim:

The Church invested "vast sums of money" to build church schools in Polynesia, Mexico and Central and South America, but "denied" these benefits to Micronesia and Melanesia.

Author's sources: No source given.

FAIR's Response

Response  Prejudicial or loaded language: the Church gets no credit for what it has done, only what it has not done. Could the presence of schools have something to do with LDS membership levels, missionary efforts, etc.?