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Letter-to-Christian-Scholars

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Biblical History and Science

Central Question:

How do I process these human artifacts that are older than the oldest Bible story? (written 6000 years ago)

Why this is important to me:

The Bible shares the history of many things. For centuries its history had to be trustest as we had no way to double check its words. In the modern day we have vast scientific understandings. We have seen artifacts that create a consistent evolution path of humans and our stories.

To truly believe the Bible, I feel that I should be allowed to believe all of it. For if I cannot believe it all, what parts should I believe? If these scientific discoveries show drastic differences to the Bible stories then what am I to believe

The below is from the CES Letter

Multiple Hominid Species

If Adam and Eve are the first humans, how do we explain the dozen or so other Hominid species who lived and died 35,000 – 2.4 million years before Adam? When did those guys stop being human?

Neanderthal DNA Present in Adam’s Descendants

Genetic science and testing has advanced significantly the past few decades. I was surprised to learn from results of my own genetic test that 1.6% of my DNA is Neanderthal. How does this fact fit with Mormon theology and doctrine that I am a literal descendant of a literal Adam and Eve from about 7,000 years ago? Where do the Neanderthals fit in? How do I have pre-Adamic Neanderthal DNA and Neanderthal blood circulating my veins when this species died off about 33,000 years before Adam and Eve?

Discredited Claims

Other events/claims that science has discredited:

Tower of Babel: (a staple story of the Jaredites in the Book of Mormon)
Global flood: 4,500 years ago
Noah’s Ark: Humans and animals having their origins from Noah’s family and the animals contained in the ark 4,500 years ago. It is scientifically impossible, for example, for the bear to have evolved into several species (Sun Bear, Polar Bear, Grizzly Bear, etc.) from common ancestors from Noah’s time just a few thousand years ago. There are a host of other impossibilities associated with Noah’s Ark story claims.