I first found myself doing genetic testing at 23 and me because they announced they had finally been able to map the human genome enough to definitively state whether your genes came from one of three places -- Africa, Asia or Europe. Apparently these distinctions are fairly facile to make from a genetic perspective, although as I have learned, there are so many human groups with so much overlap that you begin to wonder why you should make any distinctions in the first place.
Because you can.... I guess.
Being of somewhat thrifty aspect (some would call it a Mormon thing), I didn't want to pay for genetic testing just to found the somewhat blase and fairly obvious fact that I was 100% European.
I was somewhat obsessively combing through Ancestry.com and pilfering the work of the more faithful, trying to find the origins of all my ancestors. Including the women! The genetic contribution of women to the gene pool is 50%, my friends. Even if the surname contribution is 0%, due to forces I will have to rationalize elsewhere.
Anyway, during this usually boring, but sometimes enlightening exercise, I found the full names of my ancestors listed in a page of Melungeon research. I can't find it now, but I promise I will try again. The page appeared to be research done by a member of the Bunch clan, who are apparently one of the certified core Melungeon clans. I actually worked with a fellow who was of Mormon ancestry, and whose surname was Bunch. So, the fact that I found some of my ancestors on this page was.... revelatory.
The names were --
James Wilson
Birth 5 Feb, 1788 in Rutherford, North Carolina, United States
Death 1821 in Rutherford, Tennessee, United States
Ellender Eleanor Shelfer
Birth 1780 in Jones, North Carolina, United States
Death 1843 in Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States
As it so happens, these folks are also in my husband's family tree, making us 7th to 8th cousins.
My research indicated that Wilson was from Ireland and Shelfer was Palatine, German. Nothing to indicate they were tri-racial isolates -- Portuguese, African or Native American.
However, methinks, this could mean somewhere along the line I could have DNA-proveable ancestry that is African and/or Native American. Thus began the genetic testing.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
A Gene of Religiosity
I was looking for something else this morning, but found this -- a post on New Order Mormon about a gene for religiosity.
http://forum.newordermormon.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=29806&view=next
Poster Hagoth says:
http://forum.newordermormon.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=29806&view=next
Poster Hagoth says:
There is a study that links alcohol & nicotine use AND church attendance to genetics.
http://genepi.qimr.edu.au/contents/p/staff/CV235.pdf
There have been a lot of posts here wondering what exactly makes people want to go to church. Turns out the reason some people enjoy church and others abhor it might be genetic. AND the same gene makes you less likely to drink and smoke.
http://genepi.qimr.edu.au/contents/p/staff/CV235.pdf
There have been a lot of posts here wondering what exactly makes people want to go to church. Turns out the reason some people enjoy church and others abhor it might be genetic. AND the same gene makes you less likely to drink and smoke.
Friday, June 28, 2013
The Ironically Literal (and I mean that *literally*) Gathering of Israel
So, last night's heated discussion had something to do with me taking the 10th Article of Mormon Faith very literally.
It goes like this....
We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
For those dying to know more, you can read it from the source... 13 articles of Faith
So the part I am taking literally is "LITERAL" and "ISRAEL" -- as in, I think someone (i.e. Joseph Smith) has some idea that he has Jewish heritage. I have some evidence to go on. Husband believes me when I say he could have crypto-Jewish heritage, but thinks he would have been completely oblivious to the fact. I disagree.
As I am reading this again after 20 plus years of completely ignoring anything faith-based, I also find a few other things striking. I need to know who these Ten Tribes are. Mostly I want to know if there is a genetic and historic record for their existence. I'm of the opinion that most people probably have some Jewish ancestry unbeknownst to them, due to the math of Time to the power of Babies = Lots of People. I mean really, if 2000 years ago, Jewish tribes scattered, that has been 2000 years of relocating, making new friends, and generations of new families. Some who may forever have forgotten their true origins, and others who kept it going in subtle ways or with new twists.
Anyway, that's a side note.
Husband says that it is not anomalous that Mormons believe in a literal gathering of Israel. He believes this is a common trait of many Christian organizations. He cites Born Again Christians as an example. Wife here had never heard of this possibility. So now I'm doing another Google search and I find this article in Mother Jones about "Christian Zionists". Yea, these could be friends of Mormons. Apparently Mitt Romney was really a favorite with right-wing Jews, most likely because of this same kind of Zionist political alliance.
And of course it doesn't mean that these Christian Zionists or Mormons are Crytpo-Jews. It also doesn't mean that they aren't. So far, I think it just means they are politically motivated. I don't agree with their politics. But that's not why I'm writing this. I'm writing to understand myself, and to find my own origin story.
So back to my two words I am taking very literally: LITERAL & ISRAEL. Today's Google Search was trying to find other groups who believe in the literal gathering of Israel. Only Mormon websites surfaced at first. But then I found this gem, whose name I like.... The Eco-Kosher Rebbe. This sounds environmentally friendly & healthy... I like it!
He has a great post called Christianity & the Gathering of Israel. Here are a few things that stand out to me....
It is the personal belief of Rabbi Gershon Steinberg-Caudill, that although he does not agree with the THEOLOGICAL teachings of the LDS Church, nor with the thought-controlling and cult-like practices of the LDS Church, he DOES view the members of the LDS Church as representing members of the "Lost" Ten Tribes, in a spiritual sense, who are being gathered by the God of all of the tribes of Israel preparatory to their re-unification with the Judahite Tribes that is to take place during the ushering in of the "Messianic Age."
He also says:
It is a historical fact that the LDS Church is one of the very FEW Christian churches that does not have a history nor a theology of anti-Semitism, and is a group who also have a view of themselves as being literal descendants of the ancient House of Israel, the Twelve Tribes, thus kin to the Jews.
And also:
Again, it is a fact of history that the L.D.S. Church is one of the few Christian belief systems that has not persecuted Jews. Therefore, Rabbi Gershon does not see that the Jew who opts to become LDS is forever lost to the Jewish tribalhood and people, he/she just has become a hyphenated Jew; a Mormon-Jew, and, like Buddhist-Jews, are still a part of the greater Peoplehood of Israel.
As well as:
The Mormon Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the LDS were BLOOD KIN to the Jews, although DNA studies do not support that conception. So convinced of that premise were the LDS Presidents Joseph Fielding Smith, Heber J. Grant and Ezra Taft Benson (perhaps others) that they were willing to excommunicate members of their religion who became involved in anti-Semitic organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan and American Nazi Party during the pre-World War 2 period, as well as later on.
So the question becomes how much can DNA prove or disprove about the possibility of an ancient or recent connection to Israel. Of course, recent is easier. I also need to find out more about the assertion of the LDS being blood kin to the Jews. I had this impression as well, but I don't know where it is written, precisely. My husband believes this was only a figurative allusion, and has more to do with believing in something like the divine right of kings, where authority must come from a chosen people. (Maybe I'm putting words into his mouth, but that seems like the other explanation if you aren't taking the idea of blood kin literally.)
It goes like this....
We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
For those dying to know more, you can read it from the source... 13 articles of Faith
So the part I am taking literally is "LITERAL" and "ISRAEL" -- as in, I think someone (i.e. Joseph Smith) has some idea that he has Jewish heritage. I have some evidence to go on. Husband believes me when I say he could have crypto-Jewish heritage, but thinks he would have been completely oblivious to the fact. I disagree.
As I am reading this again after 20 plus years of completely ignoring anything faith-based, I also find a few other things striking. I need to know who these Ten Tribes are. Mostly I want to know if there is a genetic and historic record for their existence. I'm of the opinion that most people probably have some Jewish ancestry unbeknownst to them, due to the math of Time to the power of Babies = Lots of People. I mean really, if 2000 years ago, Jewish tribes scattered, that has been 2000 years of relocating, making new friends, and generations of new families. Some who may forever have forgotten their true origins, and others who kept it going in subtle ways or with new twists.
Anyway, that's a side note.
Husband says that it is not anomalous that Mormons believe in a literal gathering of Israel. He believes this is a common trait of many Christian organizations. He cites Born Again Christians as an example. Wife here had never heard of this possibility. So now I'm doing another Google search and I find this article in Mother Jones about "Christian Zionists". Yea, these could be friends of Mormons. Apparently Mitt Romney was really a favorite with right-wing Jews, most likely because of this same kind of Zionist political alliance.
And of course it doesn't mean that these Christian Zionists or Mormons are Crytpo-Jews. It also doesn't mean that they aren't. So far, I think it just means they are politically motivated. I don't agree with their politics. But that's not why I'm writing this. I'm writing to understand myself, and to find my own origin story.
So back to my two words I am taking very literally: LITERAL & ISRAEL. Today's Google Search was trying to find other groups who believe in the literal gathering of Israel. Only Mormon websites surfaced at first. But then I found this gem, whose name I like.... The Eco-Kosher Rebbe. This sounds environmentally friendly & healthy... I like it!
He has a great post called Christianity & the Gathering of Israel. Here are a few things that stand out to me....
It is the personal belief of Rabbi Gershon Steinberg-Caudill, that although he does not agree with the THEOLOGICAL teachings of the LDS Church, nor with the thought-controlling and cult-like practices of the LDS Church, he DOES view the members of the LDS Church as representing members of the "Lost" Ten Tribes, in a spiritual sense, who are being gathered by the God of all of the tribes of Israel preparatory to their re-unification with the Judahite Tribes that is to take place during the ushering in of the "Messianic Age."
He also says:
It is a historical fact that the LDS Church is one of the very FEW Christian churches that does not have a history nor a theology of anti-Semitism, and is a group who also have a view of themselves as being literal descendants of the ancient House of Israel, the Twelve Tribes, thus kin to the Jews.
And also:
Again, it is a fact of history that the L.D.S. Church is one of the few Christian belief systems that has not persecuted Jews. Therefore, Rabbi Gershon does not see that the Jew who opts to become LDS is forever lost to the Jewish tribalhood and people, he/she just has become a hyphenated Jew; a Mormon-Jew, and, like Buddhist-Jews, are still a part of the greater Peoplehood of Israel.
As well as:
The Mormon Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the LDS were BLOOD KIN to the Jews, although DNA studies do not support that conception. So convinced of that premise were the LDS Presidents Joseph Fielding Smith, Heber J. Grant and Ezra Taft Benson (perhaps others) that they were willing to excommunicate members of their religion who became involved in anti-Semitic organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan and American Nazi Party during the pre-World War 2 period, as well as later on.
So the question becomes how much can DNA prove or disprove about the possibility of an ancient or recent connection to Israel. Of course, recent is easier. I also need to find out more about the assertion of the LDS being blood kin to the Jews. I had this impression as well, but I don't know where it is written, precisely. My husband believes this was only a figurative allusion, and has more to do with believing in something like the divine right of kings, where authority must come from a chosen people. (Maybe I'm putting words into his mouth, but that seems like the other explanation if you aren't taking the idea of blood kin literally.)
More Thoughts on Why I Should be Writing About This Topic
Gosh -- I abandoned this thing, because the genealogy thing frankly has a lot of bad associations for me.... racism, elitism, cliques... and my basic belief is that we are all related somehow, and just having Joseph Smith for a "Second Cousin Thirteen Times Removed" is not likely to make me the prophetess of the next generation. And I'm not angling for that. Although, maybe there's something to it for the shock value....
But I have been getting into arguments with my spouse, because we seem to have different understandings about what is and what isn't possible for our backgrounds. I'm already flaunting my slightly less white-bread status to friends and casual acquaintances, now that I've found out I have a TINY sliver of African ancestry. Why is it so important to me that people think about this as a possibility, not only for me (of usually Very Pale Face except when Confronted with Utah Sun), but also that others with Mormon heritage contemplate it about themselves?
Conversation with husband yesterday was about whether or not The Mormons of the African Lining (Like a Silver-Edged Cloud) could actually KNOW they were secretly African. And thus bond and huddle together, finding strength in their numbers to FIGHT THE OPPRESSOR -- the Government who Knows about our One Drop. (Which sounded cool to me...)
Or whether it was just some coincidental fact because it's just an Early American Thing. If you have ancestors from this country that go way back, you may have African too. Wake Up! Smell your coffee! And Where it Came From, Ye of America.
Of course I think what steers away from cementing these ideas as firmly true is the sternly conservative nature of the Modern Mormon Majority. As if that would mean you couldn't have African ancestry. Sadly, we must still contemplate how a conservative might go about diversifying their genome, and it is not a pretty thought.....
But I have been getting into arguments with my spouse, because we seem to have different understandings about what is and what isn't possible for our backgrounds. I'm already flaunting my slightly less white-bread status to friends and casual acquaintances, now that I've found out I have a TINY sliver of African ancestry. Why is it so important to me that people think about this as a possibility, not only for me (of usually Very Pale Face except when Confronted with Utah Sun), but also that others with Mormon heritage contemplate it about themselves?
Conversation with husband yesterday was about whether or not The Mormons of the African Lining (Like a Silver-Edged Cloud) could actually KNOW they were secretly African. And thus bond and huddle together, finding strength in their numbers to FIGHT THE OPPRESSOR -- the Government who Knows about our One Drop. (Which sounded cool to me...)
Or whether it was just some coincidental fact because it's just an Early American Thing. If you have ancestors from this country that go way back, you may have African too. Wake Up! Smell your coffee! And Where it Came From, Ye of America.
Of course I think what steers away from cementing these ideas as firmly true is the sternly conservative nature of the Modern Mormon Majority. As if that would mean you couldn't have African ancestry. Sadly, we must still contemplate how a conservative might go about diversifying their genome, and it is not a pretty thought.....
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