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Farewell to Eden: Coming to Terms with Mormonism and Science

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Pristinely logical, soundly scientific, honest and heartfelt, this is a superlative and very DIFFERENT sort of examination of the claims of Mormonism, a subject the author knows in depth of detail, having been born and raised in the faith. Unlike many religions, Mormonism makes numerous very specific statements that can be scientifically tested. Anderson's chapters walk through a highly competent examination of astronomical, biological, archeological, geological, etc., claims, asking the reader to decide whether Mormonism's claims in these subject areas square with what is now scientifically known, staying with what has been demonstrated with near-conclusiveness or exceptionally high probability.

Anderson's geology chapter explains why since, in the creation story of the Mormon scriptures, the "absolute time scales are wrong, and the relative time scales are wrong, and the order of events is wrong, then everything is wrong that can be wrong."

His astronomy chapter states, "It's hard to imagine two ways of looking at the cosmos more different than modern cosmology and LDS doctrine. ... More massive stars tend to rotate faster ... This is the opposite of what we see in Joseph Smith's cosmology where the greatest star in the universe rotates ... only once every thousand years. ... According to LDS theology, the sun and other stars get their light from Kolob ... [but] the sun's source of energy is internal, and not external; it does not get its light from any other star."

His archeology chapter states that the claims of the Book of Mormon "disagree in almost every detail with the scientific evidence."

Anderson's final chapter poignantly describes the difficult adjustment of lifelong Mormons attempting to come to terms with their realization that so many acknowledged scientific facts are not sensibly reconcilable with LDS doctrines.

Having been raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and active for most of my life, I grew up accepting the teachings of my elders, comfortable in the belief that the doctrines of the Church were sound. Indeed, I was assured that science had all but proven the validity of key LDS theology, and that Mormons are the most scientific people on earth.

Imagine my surprise upon finding out they were wrong.

This is a story of discovery and of finding the freedom to think for one's self. It's my story. I'm the author, and I wrote it for two reasons. First, I wrote it as a way of validating the greatest life decision I've ever made - the decision to leave Mormonism. Mormonism is far more than a religion. It's a fraternity, too, where loyalty is prized and disloyalty punished. By leaving I'm now branded a "son of perdition," and the label has cost me some of my dearest friendships.

Secondly, I've written for other Mormons (or investigators) who may be puzzling over the same questions that plagued me. There is a simple solution to the intellectual conundrum, but it isn't what the "brethren" tell you. I hope these pages can give you some comfort in knowing your concerns are not the product of faithlessness, but that of an inquiring mind.

Because this is such an emotionally charged subject, I've described my personal experience growing up in the LDS Church, which is the subject of the entire first chapter. After introducing you to my background I next discuss a little LDS history and a lot more about what constitutes Mormon doctrine. I've looked especially at how members of the church arrive at collective doctrines, how they perceive public preaching by their leaders, and church views on prophecy, authority, and revelation.

Even though our culture couldn't exist without the benefits of science, many people are unfamiliar with the way science works and its philosophical underpinnings. Since my book is about the ways in which Mormonism conflicts with science, I've also included a chapter on the subject of science, describing what it is, what is isn't, and illustrating how it works with a few simple examples.

The real meat of the book starts after I've described my personal background (and unavoidable biases) and the chapters on "What is Mormonism" and "What is science." I begin with the most spectacularly successful scientific theory in history - quantum mechanics. Though many Mormons are probably unaware of the issues here, quantum mechanics holds real problems for Joseph Smith's unique doctrine that God is a resurrected, glorified, and physical man, and that he also knows everything - past, present, and future. To help make the subject more tractable I begin with a section that clearly delineates Mormon doctrine on the subject, followed by a second section describing the relevant science. The chapter ends by comparing and contrasting the two. I've used this general outline throughout the other chapters, too, and I hope the result is a book that's not only a helpful reference guide on Mormonism, but interesting reading regarding many aspects of modern science as well.

One of the things I hope you learn from reading my book is the impressive scope of scientific theories that are in direct conflict with Mormon doctrine. In the remaining chapters I describe conflicts between Mormonism and geology, astronomy, physics, and anthropology. These conflicts arise in such diverse LDS doctrines as the notion that earth once orbited near a distant star named Kolob, and only recently took up its place in the solar system after Adam fell. Other problematic LDS doctrines include the universal flood (which, of course, isn't limited to just Mormonism), anti-evolution scriptures and prophetic proclamations, and the notion that the ancient Americans are Hebrews who arrived from the Old World a scant 2600 years ago.

I've also included some material in the appendix that I hope you find interesting and useful. For example, there's a short analysis of the statistical distribution of month-dates in the Book of Mormon that strongly suggest it's a fabrication. And there's a decent index that'll hopefully help you look up subjects long after you've read it.

In writing my book I not only wanted to make clear the existence of conflicts between Mormonism and science, I wanted to express my feeling regarding why these problems are significant and what might be done about them. That's the subject of my last chapter, which describes the importance of not allowing a religion's myths to become so important that they drown out the ethical and moral aspects that really should be the primary focus.

Best regards,

Duwayne Anderson

I met Duwayne Anderson many years ago, at a conference on fiber optics. I was therefore intrigued recently when I heard from him again and received a copy of his book.

As Mr. Anderson told me and as he relates in the book, he was raised a Mormon, went on a mission when he was 19, attended Brigham Young University at the urging of his parents, graduated with a degree in physics, married in the church, and led an active life in the church.

As he put it, he "managed to keep [his] religious ideas compartmentalized," but eventually he began to ask questions. I have no interest in the Mormon church, but I read the early chapters and the "Final Thoughts" with keen interest.

When Mr. Anderson began to have doubts about the conflicts between what he knew as a scientist and was told to believe as a Mormon, he first went to his church elders for guidance. It is telling that he received no guidance whatsoever and was left to work out his conflicts by himself. Indeed, Mr. Anderson begins his book with a touching story about a relative, Duwayne M. Anderson, as opposed to Duwayne R., who had broken with the church and was written off by his family. Mr. Anderson made contact with his namesake, found the support he needed, and continued his intellectual journey away from the literalist teachings of the church. Unhappily, the relative died before the completion of the book, which Mr. Anderson dedicates to him.

I read Mr. Anderson's chapter, "What Is Science?" That chapter explains in simple, concrete terms how science works. Particularly pertinently today, Mr. Anderson explains the meaning of "theory" in science and concludes that it has a meaning very different from the colloquial meaning, "rough guess." He goes on to explain how theories are always in flux and may be subsumed by other theories; science, unlike Mormonism, "has no sacred principles that cannot be questioned."

I skipped many pages and came to the "Final Thoughts," which I interpreted as a plea to abandon the literalist interpretation of the Mormon scriptures but retain the ethical and spiritual aspects of the culture. The pressures on people who adopt Mr. Anderson's position are, frankly, chilling, and I am not optimistic that his way of thinking will triumph in the near future.

My parents raised me in the LDS Church, and I was pretty active when I was younger, but it didn't take me long to discover that Mormonism isn't true. By the time I got into high school I'd made up my mind that the Book of Mormon is a fake. I was a senior in high school when I first found and read "Farewell to Eden: Coming to terms with Mormonism and science." This is one of the best books I've ever read, and really helped me validate the many suspicions about Mormonism that I'd harbored in high school.

Although I'm a musician, I have lots of interest in science. I like to read things like Discover magazine, Popular Science, and books written by authors like Stephen Jay Gould. Anderson explains science as well as anyone I've read. He has a real knack for taking complicated things and describing them in a way that's understandable. Although the book takes concentration, I think it's pretty easy to read.

Anderson reviews a lot of LDS doctrines. I was taught most of these doctrines in seminary. There were some doctrines I didn't learn about in seminary, though. But when I checked on them I found they had been taught by the church (as Anderson says) but that my seminary teachers had carefully kept me and the other students ignorant about those doctrines. Examples are the way the Mormon Church lied about the practice of polygamy (they denied that it was doctrine while Joseph Smith and other prophets were practicing it), and the church's past discrimination against Blacks. In fact, when I read that the Mormon Church used to prevent Blacks from holding the priesthood I was sure that Anderson was one of those "anti-Mormons" my seminary teacher had warned against - but when I checked on it, I found that Anderson was right. The LDS Church really does have a racist history.

One of the things that has become clear to me, after reading Anderson's book, is that the LDS Church and its supporters lie about some of the doctrines the Mormons teach. I'm not sure why they do this, but they clearly do. I was taught in seminary that God used to be a man, yet Anderson shows how President Hinckley lied about that doctrine in a public interview. I was taught that evolution is evil and of the devil. Everyone I went to seminary with believes this, and the teacher taught it using seminary instruction material. Yet I've read some material written by FARMS (they do propaganda for the LDS Church) saying the church doesn't have an official position on evolution.

Anderson constructs his chapters by first describing what Mormonism teaches, then teaching what the science says, and finally comparing them, side-by-side. In describing Mormon teachings, Anderson relies mostly on verses from LDS scriptures, while using church-published documents to show how Mormonism interprets the scriptures. Anderson's reliance on official documents and scriptures for defining LDS doctrine give the book an authoritative ring. Since these documents and scriptures are easily available, all of Anderson's claims regarding Mormon doctrine are easily and quickly verifiable.

In his discussions about Mormonism and evolution, Anderson has anticipated many of the arguments used by people who favor intelligent design. The author shows how some Mormons (mostly BYU professors) have tried to marry Mormonism and evolution by inventing something that looks like theistically driven evolution, or intelligent design. Anderson does a wonderful job of dismantling such arguments by showing, using logic and reason, that any doctrine that tries to set people apart as specially created is, in fact, inconsistent with evolution.

As with the other areas of science that he mentions in his book, Anderson does a great job of describing what evolution is. Once you understand evolution as a natural explanation for the evolution of species in which there is no need for a "creator" and where the evidence shows there was no "intelligent design" you can see the absurdity in the theistic arguments that God used evolution to create people in His image. As Anderson points out, it's as absurd as theistic gravity, where planets are carried about by angels, and it only looks like there is a natural explanation for the orbits.

This book is clear and logical. The author calls it the way it is, and makes no special allowances for the mythology of his youth. I lent my copy of the book to fellow seminary students, and it helped at least one of my Mormon friends to decide not to go on a mission. I told one of my reading/writing teachers in college about the book. He bought a copy and he found it to be a well-written and fascinating glimpse into Mormonism. I also enjoyed it as a science text. I really recommend this book for anyone seriously interested in testing the Mormon faith.

Many thanks to Duwayne R. Anderson from an unpublished author. I was moved to Utah after being hired out of northern California. Shortly after my arrival I was handed the hardcover book, No Man Knows My History, by Fawn Brodie. Knowing nothing of the Mormon culture this was a fascinating read and I kept wondering how such a large population could believe all this stuff and nonsense. Now, eyes wide open, I have joined (infiltrated) the Mormon, been batized, and received my temple recommend. How can I believe all this stuff and nonsense? I don't. What I do believe in is a wonderful woman who is struggling to get out of a 30 year temple marriage to a very verbally abusive and occasionally physically abusive husband. Enough about me.
Farewell to Eden is extremely well thought out. It was very easy to read and to use as a reference. When I had problems picking up any of the so-called scriptures that make up the "Quad" I could start reading anywhere in Farewell to Eden and share the same beliefs Anderson expounded and feel a kinship to the author. I particularly appreciated his chapter entitled, Beginnings, because I have met others with very similar backgrounds who have made the very personal journey he has. I would have enjoyed meeting Duwayne Marlo Anderson, to whom the book is dedicated. The journey I am talking about is the journey out of the Mormon culture. Some of the most wonderful and thoughtful people I have ever met are entwined in the Mormon culture. I find myself in an unsanctioned position of being a confidant for many who would like to leave but don't want to leave the support group.
In Utah a person can call themselves a therapist without having to be licensed. My B.S. degree was in psychology and it has occurred to me that I could possibly provide a service to people who are troubled or in a crisis of faith. This book would be one I would definitely share with such people. There is nothing wrong with searching for the truth rather than blindly adhering to dogma. For anyone functioning as a deprogrammer, this book is an absolute must have.
I found the graphics, subtext, and suggested reading (the latter at the end of every chapter)extremely helpful.
Anderson has thoughtfully included a letter he received from a friend or family member on page 320. The letter demonstrates one form of pressure to which a person is subjected when they contemplate leaving the church. I imagine I would receive similar letters from concerned members were I to leave the church at this juncture.
I am finding more and more people who continue to be members, pay their tithing but quietly refrain from believing all they should according to church doctrine. I find I am in that group. The humanitarian effort of the church is huge and its effect upon the world emmense. For this reason I don't mind contributing but I shall keep my eyes open.

This book grabs you from the beginnings section describing the authors back ground and family church life - with Marlo a family scientist cut off because he did not follow the family religion. I was so pulled into the setting that I could not put the book down. I've already read the book twice. My colleagues are fighting over who gets to borrow it first.

Science can be hard to understand but Anderson methodically brings you along a path of discovery. He presents concepts with simple examples helping you understand the basic scientific methods used in the human quest for truth and understanding of the universe. I find myself thinking back on logical concepts that are now clear and focused on how to know the difference between reality and myths. My mind has found a new birth, a new path of discovery, a freedom from controlling men who heaped up doctrines on me, some good that I choose to keep and some not so good.

Mormon leaders control you through irrational faith as explained by Anderson. In the Church the thinking has already been done and if you don't agree, or find their answer when you pray, they teach you have done something wrong. The Church is true no matter what else must be sacrifised.

So don't read how Joseph Smith taught the sun borrowed its light from Kolob (because it would run out), because they knew nothing about nuclear reactions in the 18th century. Don't read Appendix B that demonstrates how the specific dates in the Book of Mormon are not random and have about a 1/2000 chance of being real historical dates. I actually understand the math or statistics for this. Don't read about the uncertainty principle and the impossibilities of knowing specific future events. Of course small events (unpredictable events) can have a huge effect on the future. Don't read about the raw impossibilities of the universal flood story, or how the creation story does not fit scientific facts. I could go on and on.

Read this book only if you are looking for truth. Anderson points out, if he or science has made a mistake, fine, lets correct it and go on. Nothing is sacred in the scientific method. Scientific theory always has to match all the observational data.

I would add this comment, which I think is pretty close to an underlining theme of the book. "If you are content with theological ideas where loyalty to a religious group is more important then truth (only when the two conflict), you have a good chance for happiness. It can be dangerous to learn too much. Remember what Nicolaus Copernicus went through when he taught the Earth was not the center of the Universe, and that the Earth actually navigates around the Sun."

Whether or not you care about the religious implications, read Duwayne Anderson's Farewell to Eden for a concise, understandable account not only of some of the greatest scientific accomplishments of our age, but also of the scientific method itself. Before reading this book, I had only a hazy understanding of the scientific method and the differences between scientific "law," "theory," and "hypothesis." This book clarifies these concepts quickly and understandably.

For example, the author explains that a hypothesis can never be proven, but instead that the scientific method is all about trying to prove a hypothesis false and that the acceptance of a hypothesis as a theory comes about only as all efforts at falsification fail. Yet so much as a single falsification will destroy the hypothesis.

The author then compares the rigor of this scientific method with the way it which religious dogma is formulated and defended. I will let you read the book for yourself to see how this is done, but suffice it to say that although science has methodological flaws, they are nothing like those used to sustain religious dogma. Although science can be criticized, it is laughable to see it done by religious dogmatists.

And if you are a person who does care about the stark differences between current scientific understanding and Mormon religious dogma, you will not be able to put this book down.

Some faithful Mormons may feel that the import of this book is diminished because of their own personal enjoyment of Mormonism for its social or family interactions or values. To people who enjoy the insular aspects of Mormon social life, like its emphasis on sexual and dietary matters, and the ritualistic temple rites, this book truly should be of no concern. After all, their love of all things Mormon has nothing to do with whether it is validated by science.

On the other hand, for those who are uncomfortable with Mormonism's polygamous history and current doctrines and practices, and feel no need for the protection of a closed social network, it matters a great deal whether such doctrines are literally true, or required. And on this issue, Farewell to Eden is outstanding.

The author's account of his own personal conflict movingly describes what it is like to be torn between one's inherited religious dogma and what seems to be the glaringly opposed truth of reality. As he so aptly described his experience in this regard:

"When I pressed these issues, though, instead of replying with reasoned answers, the bishop and stake president [Mormon officials] simply stared back at me with empty eyes."

Empty eyes indeed is all the guidance you will receive if you ask Mormon officials to help you decide.

I strongly recommend that you read this book if you care about resolving the conflicts between dogma and observed reality, because you won't get the answer at church.

A partial assortment of Mormon beliefs:

*Earth used to revolve around the great sun, Kolob. The fall of Adam and Eve so disgusted God that He moved Earth to this solar system.

*Jesus made an appearance in North America after His resurrection.

*American Indians are descendants of emigrants from ancient Israel, coming in three waves. One wave crossed the Atlantic in a submarine assembled with instructions from God. They eventually numbered in the millions, had domesticated horses and elephants, steel tools and technology, european crops, and a detailed history (Archeological evidence for any of this is completely absent).

*Every single word of the Bible (KJV), The Book of Mormon, and other holy LDS scriptures are literally true. Under God's direction, Joseph Smith "translated" some of them from ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics (The eventual correct translation of the Egyptian papyrus turned out to be about completely different subject matter).

Note: Perhaps no more outlandish than virgin births, resurrections, and wine turning into blood, but at least those are myths we are used to.

The Book of Mormon and several other books of LDS scripture were written by Joseph Smith, a charismatic and gifted story-teller. Despite overwhelming evidence of fraud from geology, geography, astronomy, cosmology, physics, DNA, and Egyptology, his church survives - partially through tactics of isolation, control over its members, and a healthy birthrate. If an initiated church member decides to leave, he/she may be declared a Son of Perdition, be ostracized by friends and family, and threatened with lifelong bad luck administered by God - probably to become indigent and homeless; then Hell.

This book is a critique of Mormonism from the standpoint of a scientist and former member. The LDS church openly supports science and education. This makes it quite an enigma, considering how incompatible its historical myths are with science. Many an idealistic young church member has studied archeology and geography with the idea of finding evidence that would vindicate Joseph Smith's stories. Some of these ended up leaving the church instead. More of them remained church members with somewhat curbed enthusiasm.

No doubt the Mormons provide the same beneficial services for people that any religion does - such as providing a safe, family-oriented social outlet, solace for the disappointments and uncertainties of life, and comfort in death. Most religions are also burdened by an assortment of myths, dogma, and rules. This book is not for the many who are perfectly happy with that situation but for those many others who are not.

Some of the science is fairly in depth, with sections on quantum physics, evolution, astronomy, archaeology, and radioactive isotope dating. For the non-scientifically oriented person, I particularly recommend the superb discussion about the scientific method in chapter II. Documentation about the Mormon belief system is extensive with excerpts from scripture and authoritative statements from official Church literature. I highly recommend this scathing debunking of the myths and dogma of Mormonism, told by the author with a personal flair.

Mormonism is a religion which not only makes assertions about religious matters (the nature of god, heaven, hell, life after death) as do many other religions, but it also makes claims in areas usually covered by science: biology, geology, physics, cosmology, genetics, and history. These claims have to do with the relationship of the planets, the age of the earth, the origins of races, the causes of racial characteristics like skin color, ancient history, and many others. These claims are made with the special authority which Mormons claim for their prophets, who speak with divine guidance. Unfortunately for Mormons, claims in those areas can be tested scientifically as to whether they are true or not.
This book, written by a former Mormon who is a professional scientist, summarizes Mormon teachings in scientific areas and one by one shows that the Mormon teachings are soundly contradicted by science. Not only are they contradicted by science, they are often scientifically impossible. I know of no other book quite like it.
For a layman like myself, who is not at home in abstruse mathematics and esoteric scientific jargon, the author also provides very readable introductions to each area of science so that the reader can understand the scientific basis for Mormonism's errors. Even for someone not particularly interested in Mormonism, the book would be a valuable lay introduction to areas such as quantum mechanics, geology, or cosmology.
The author also discusses the basis for Mormon doctrine and its multiple sources (scripture, sermons, official publications, modern revelation), and the psychological problems which confront Mormons who also are knowledgeable about Mormonism's conflicts with science.
Highly recommended!

"Farewell to Eden" is a pleasant surprise for those of us Mormons who have faced a life-long challenge of weighing the truths of science, against the so-called truths of the Mormon Church or with many other Judeo-Christian teachings prevalent in society. Anderson clearly demonstrates his understanding of scientific principles and rational thought as he discusses a variety of topics that have either been ignored or danced around by church leaders or apologists. Few within or outside the Mormon community have addressed topics such as the issues of astronomy, evolution (the "e " word you must never mention in Sunday School) and geology within the contexts of Mormon doctrine. I especially appreciated and empathized with Anderson's experiences within his own family and the Mormon community in terms of finding a path of truth that respects known scientific principles. For many of us, daring to contemplate the implications of bizarre notions taught in the Book of Abraham and other scientific quandaries has been a potential invitation for a not-so-polite exit from the church. Anderson is to be commended for forging the way through ground previously treaded upon so lightly. A complete and highly readable dose of reality for anyone interested in how the convolutions of religion can warp people's ability to perceive the basics of science.