2 Nephi 1:8 declares that ancient America was “kept … from the knowledge of other nations,” implying that the Book of Mormon peoples were among the first to inhabit the land. According to the text, many Native Americans are descendants of Israelites. But modern DNA research overwhelmingly shows that Native Americans originated from Asia—not the Middle East. This poses a serious challenge to the Book of Mormon’s historical claims. In response, the LDS Church has attempted to downplay or reinterpret the text’s statements. Adding to the controversy is the book View of the Hebrews, published before the Book of Mormon, which also promoted the idea that Native Americans descended from the lost tribes of Israel. Could Joseph Smith have borrowed his ideas from that earlier work? This video examines the conflict between science, scripture, and history—and asks: Is the Book of Mormon historically reliable?
