Butler argues that reconstructing ancient population ancestry differs from identifying an individual in a forensic DNA test: it requires reliable reference populations and assumptions about inheritance. Because Book of Mormon founding DNA is unknown and many ancestral lineages can disappear from mitochondrial and Y-chromosome records, he concludes that current DNA comparisons cannot decide the book’s authenticity.
- John M. Butler, “Addressing Questions Surrounding the Book of Mormon and DNA Research,” FARMS Review 18, no. 1 (2006): 101-108.
DNA information alone therefore cannot disprove or prove the Book of Mormon.