Science and the Church of Jesus Christ

This article is a draft. FairMormon editors are currently editing it. We welcome your suggestions on improving the content.

Criticism

• Critics claim that Mormons believe that if there is a conflict between science and religion, that the science is incorrect.
• Critics claim that Mormonism reserves the right to identify scientific truth.

Source(s) of the criticism

• Simon Southerton, Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church (Salt Lake City, UT: Signature Books, 2004) 135–136. ( Index of claims )

Response

Secular critics charge that Mormonism and science are incompatible. In fact, Dr. Simon Southerton, in his book Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church devotes a full 66 pages to a section titled "The Troubled Interface between Mormonism and Science." Critics point out that elements found in the scriptures are incompatible with current scientific beliefs.

Biodiversity versus the flood of Noah

Main article: Global or local Flood

Questions in this area include:

• There is no scientific evidence of a worldwide flood, therefore the scriptures are in error. If God exists, why would He allow the scriptures to be in error?
• The biodiversity of plants and animals is obviously the product of millions of years of evolution. This diversity could not have occurred within the span a few thousand years. Even BYU professors teach this. How do they maintain their belief in God?
• Did the continents separate during the flood of Noah?

Dinosaurs

Main article: Dinosaurs

Evolution and the origin of Man

Main article: Evolution

Archaeology and the Book of Mormon

Main article: Book of Mormon archaeology

Predestination

Main article: Free will and science

Burning in the bosom

Main article: Burning in the bosom

Secular critics attempt to associate the "burning in the bosom" to chemical processes that occur in the brain.

Statements made by past prophets regarding science

Main article: Changing doctrine

Genetics

Main article: Book of Mormon and DNA evidence

Conclusion

 ^{[needs work]}

Endnotes

None

Further reading

• Henry Eyring, Reflections of a Scientist, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1983)

FAIR wiki articles

This article is a draft. FairMormon editors are currently editing it. We welcome your suggestions on improving the content.

Criticism

• Critics claim that Mormons believe that if there is a conflict between science and religion, that the science is incorrect.
• Critics claim that Mormonism reserves the right to identify scientific truth.

Source(s) of the criticism

• Simon Southerton, Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church (Salt Lake City, UT: Signature Books, 2004) 135–136. ( Index of claims )

Response

Secular critics charge that Mormonism and science are incompatible. In fact, Dr. Simon Southerton, in his book Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church devotes a full 66 pages to a section titled "The Troubled Interface between Mormonism and Science." Critics point out that elements found in the scriptures are incompatible with current scientific beliefs.

Biodiversity versus the flood of Noah

Main article: Global or local Flood

Questions in this area include:

• There is no scientific evidence of a worldwide flood, therefore the scriptures are in error. If God exists, why would He allow the scriptures to be in error?
• The biodiversity of plants and animals is obviously the product of millions of years of evolution. This diversity could not have occurred within the span a few thousand years. Even BYU professors teach this. How do they maintain their belief in God?
• Did the continents separate during the flood of Noah?

Dinosaurs

Main article: Dinosaurs

Evolution and the origin of Man

Main article: Evolution

Archaeology and the Book of Mormon

Main article: Book of Mormon archaeology

Predestination

Main article: Free will and science

Burning in the bosom

Main article: Burning in the bosom

Secular critics attempt to associate the "burning in the bosom" to chemical processes that occur in the brain.

Statements made by past prophets regarding science

Main article: Changing doctrine

Genetics

Main article: Book of Mormon and DNA evidence

Conclusion

 ^{[needs work]}

Endnotes

None

Further reading

• Henry Eyring, Reflections of a Scientist, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1983)

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• FAIR Topical Guide:

FAIR web site

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