Show I Letters to the Editor Dear editor A few observations about the article in Thursdays Thursday's edition headlined DNA Tests Challenge Book of Mormon Contrary to William Lobdell the author of the article article article arti arti- cle and Jose Loayza the former Mormon he interviewed as well as a few of your readers DNA evidence has not proved the Book of Mormon wrong Neither have any of the hundreds of other explanations explanations and evidences put forth against it over the years since its publication Likewise no external evidence has proved the B of M to be true The simple fact is that the B of M like the Bible the Koran and any number of other religious texts cannot be proved or disproved by external evidence They were never intended for that type of analysis and those who attempt to verify or discredit them by scientific methods dont don't understand the basic principle underlying all such writings Religious writings are based on faith and all contain within them the means to tobe tobe tobe be used with faith to determine their veracity Thus Jesus his disciples and the books book's other authors supplied within its pages the test for the truthfulness of the Bible if any man will do his will he will know of the doctrine whether it be of God Godor or if I speak of myself Joseph Smith the translator or author of the B of M similarly similarly simi simi- laxly supplied within its pages the test again with faith for determining the truth of its message Mohammed did the same in the Koran as did Mary Baker Eddy the Buddha and many others in their writings t Mr Loayza as described in the i DNA article rejected the B of M when he found that scientific evidence didn't support his interpretation of its message His loss of conviction doesn't make the book false It means rather that the doctrine doctrine doc doc- trine he imputed to the book and the special status for himself on which he based his faith were wrong He should read the B of M again and other religious works as well and evaluate each according according according accord accord- ing to the tenets they specify He might find his faith again based this time on the true message of the texts Those who like Thomas in in the New Testament demand external proof of internal truths ask for what never was and never will be When Jesus stands before them hands' hands outstretched they'll have their absolute evidence but to what point No faith is then required and no benefit is bestowed As Christ pointed out to his recalcitrant disciple the blessed are not those that have hav seen the thc evidence but they that have not seen and yet have believed Wells Quentin jI j- j rl n I V VJ VJ I was very angry and disgusted recently recently recent- recent ly when I opened the March edition of The Globe One thing I dont don't expect to tOj be bein in my school newspaper is antiMo anti- anti Mo or or any articles that seek seck to discredit is re lit any religion What was the h rw lOW i t i Globes purpose in publishing this article article articled arti arti- cle cled To me it seems that the Globe is discriminating against DS people while being hypersensitive to other groups This most recent brand of anti- anti Mormonism d doesn't even stand up The arguments made in the article about DNA are unsubstantiated William Lobdell painted a false picture of Book of Mormon Monnon history He said that the Book of Mormon claims that all of its it's people were descendents of Lehi If he actually read the Book of Mormon he would d know that Lehi's descendents eventually even- even tu Ily assimilated into larger populations Also the ancestry of Middle Eastern Jews of the time were themselves mixed They conquered nations and were conquered by byi i nations Nobody can know for sure what Le Lehi's is i's or hi his hid wife's DNA structure was My point here is not to prove or disprove disprove disprove dis dis- dis- dis prove the Book of Mormon People have tried to do db both those things since its publication publication publication pub pub- unsuccessfully My point is that it isn't fair to use a school newspaper in an attempt to destroy a persons person's faith And why just the faith Why dont don't we see Muslim anti-Muslim or Baptist anti-Baptist articles If The Globe is trying to be fair why does it single out the Mormons The reason is that its it's acceptable to bash Mormons but not others This newspaper shouldn't be bashing anyone's f faith ith This is blatantly wrong The Globe obviously has an agenda to push I just hope my tuition money isn't going to this nonsense K Scott Anderson student |