A year or so ago, I read a brief mention about the Mormon Church cooperating with the CIA (I don't remember the name of the online source). The sense that I'm left with today is that the article did not mention the purpose of the CIA/Mormon cooperation. As odd as this coupling may seem, when you realize the Mormon Church holds the largest centralized collection of genealogical material in the world, the reason for the relationship becomes a bit clearer. My reaction to the information at that time was that an identification program was afoot.
I didn't hear or read anything further that seemed to apply to the odd couple until RMNews Daily Emails, #5593 dated 2 Oct 2000 caught my attention, titled BYU Molecular Genealogy Project Home Page.htm. Unfortunately, the URL didn't work properly, so I was unable to read about this study. This past week I received a spat of emails from genealogy friends. Some are excited about the possibility of identifying ancestors through group genetic markers. Some genealogists view this technology as a method to determine their true descent from certain people who have been elusive through the record route. However, for an absolute match to be made, a piece of the ancestor must be available. At least that's my understanding. Someone must be able to locate the grave of a known ancestor and dig up the bones. Without an actual piece of the ancestor, it will take thousands and thousands of volunteers donating blood samples for the study to arrive at a "preponderance of evidence" indicating a common ancestor.
One of the emails I received contained this URL: http://molecular-genealogy.byu.edu/genealogy.htm Unfortunately, all one is given is an overview of "What is Molecular Genealogy?" None of the other areas on the menu bar are available for reading.
Another email contained an article by Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter, Vol.5 No.44, Oct 28, 2000, copyright 2000 by Richard W. Eastman, titled "DNA and Genealogy". The following is an excerpt from this article.
"This week I read about two individuals who proved family connections via mitochondrial DNA testing. Audrae Mathes partnered with her fourth cousin on an interesting genealogy DNA experiment. The two share a common ancestor of Pamela Nims, born 1794 in Shelbourne, Massachusetts.
"To be sure, the DNA testing proves that these two individuals are related via a straight female line; however, it doesn't prove who is the common ancestor. In theory, these two modern genealogists might be related via some other undocumented ancestor. However, if the two genealogists can locate more individuals with properly documented descent from Pamela Nims and matching mitochondrial DNA testing, the 'preponderance of evidence' would certainly indicate that Pamela Nims is a common ancestor of each. Mitochondrial DNA testing can strengthen a hypothesis, not prove it. DNA analysis can, however, accurately disprove connections. Mitochondrial DNA is much better at proving a negative than a positive, but it's not so much fun to have your theories fall apart!
"In theory, future databases could contain DNA information about millions of living individuals as well as properly researched genealogy information. Such a database would help prove descent from identified individuals. It probably could also disprove a few of our 'documented' genealogies of today. Such a database also could be put to good use in predicting inherited medical conditions, thereby saving or extending lives.
"There is a dark side to this as well. For instance, the same databases potentially could be used by insurance companies to raise the rates of individuals who have a high probability of dying early or who will have high medical expenses because of inherited medical problems."
It is naive for "genies" to believe this project was initiated to help genealogists nail down their connection to gggggggrandfather Jones.
What do the sponsors of this project hope to accomplish by luring millions of unsuspecting genealogy hobbyists to give blood? What is their hidden agenda? Whose BLOODLINE are they really chasing? Is this part of a national ID project---sort of a gentler adjunct to the implant program? How will the data be used for genetics? Will the data be used to cull the population?
This program has an excellent chance of being successful because it is promoted under the umbrella of the Mormon Church. Genealogists as a whole consider the Church a benevolent organization and are not apt to question motives. BYU is controlled by the Church.
Will some of you RMNews techies pursue this and tell us what is really going on?
On the other hand, the origination and intent of this project my be innocent of subterfuge. That is a possibility.
