Jeff_Ricks
30th January 2005, 02:39 PM
Well it looks like the Southerton event Friday night was a big success. The room we originally booked seated 110 people but attendance was so good that the Utah State University room attendant moved us across the hall into an auditorium that seated 400 people. Most people estimated the total attendance at about 250.
The presentation went well. At the beginning Simon did a good job of setting a non-confrontational tone. There were a few Mormons there (no way to tell how many) but none of them spoke up or complained.
Donations were very good! We took donations from those attending. After our expenses for the event we had left over $300.02 that I was able to present to Simon as a speaker honorarium! I've included a photo showing when I gave Simon our gift on Saturday at the book signing at Border Books in Logan (in case you don't recognize either of us, Simon's the one wearing the jacket).
http://www.post-mormons.com/exp_e/images/uploads/PICT1608_smallest.jpg
The book signing was a nice easy paced event. We sat around in the coffee shop area and chatted, sipped coffee and Simon talked with people as they came in. Some of our local group members showed up and joined us too. There were no big crowds but during the two hours we were there there seemed to always be at least one or two people talking to Simon about his book. There was also a reporter from USU putting together a video segment of the event that will televise on the campus TV station as well as on Cache Valley's channel 3.
On Saturday the Herald Journal (Cache Valley's newspaper) did a front page article on the speaking event, including a color picture of Simon as he talked behind the podium the night before. Below is the text of the article.
I wish you all could have been there too!
Jeff
************************************************** *****
Controversial author speaks at USU
By Adam Benson
DNA-LDS theorist offers view to respectful crowd
A police officer flanked each of the two entrances to the Eccles Conference Center auditorium at Utah State University on Friday night to quell any disruptions to Simon Southerton's speech.
It turns out they weren't needed as Southerton, the author of a controversial book questioning the Mormon tenet that American Indians are descendants of the Israelite prophet Lehi, spoke without incident.
An Australian plant geneticist and former Mormon bishop, Southerton forwarded the theory, presented in his book "Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA and the Mormon Church," for a little more than an hour to a crowd of about 250. The talk originally was slated to take place in one of the building's smaller conference rooms but was moved to the 440-seat auditorium as audience members quickly filled the 110-seat room to capacity.
Before he began his lecture, Southerton laid out "ground rules" he told his audience he hoped they would follow.
"I don't want this to descend into an evening where we bag the LDS Church," he said. "It's a great and tremendous church and has been a big part and very important part of my life for 30 years."
However, he said, teachings based upon the belief that American Indians are direct ancestors of Lehi are scientifically inaccurate and genetically impossible.
"Church leaders still teach that Native Americans and Polynesians are descended from Lehi, and members challenging that belief generally find it uncomfortable in church if they publicize it," he said.
During a 30-minute question-and-answer session that followed Southerton's speech, questions largely related to the scientific aspects of his research.
That, said Thomas Kimball of Signature Books, was a far cry from the reception Southerton received at a similar lecture in St. George earlier this week. Kimball, whose company published Southerton's book, said in St. George, several people inappropriately offered impromptu religious testimonials during the question-and-answer session following Southerton's talk.
On Friday, one man asked Southerton, since his lineage argument deconstructs a primary pillar of Latter-day Saint ideology, whether he had the same doubts about the Bible.
"I don't know that I necessarily dismiss The Book of Mormon out of hand," Southerton replied. "I have no agenda or belief structure."
Last year, The Herald Journal printed an Associated Press story concerning Southerton's book, sparking a flurry of letters to the editor from both sides of the issue. On Friday, many audience members said they came away with an education.
"I thought it was great, and I thought the genealogy was very interesting," a woman who identified herself only as non-LDS said in a hallway outside the auditorium.
Preston resident and LDS member Beverly Kunz agreed.
"I was very impressed," Kunz said. "It makes me wonder if the Mormons weren't living a fable."
She also said that while "the Christian aspects of the LDS Church are great," she still has questions about the doctrinal foundation of her faith.
"I have questions about what the church is teaching," she said.
Sherry Griffith, a former Mormon, made the drive from Salt Lake City on Friday night to hear Southerton's talk.
"It was marvelous stuff," Griffith said.
Logan resident Kevin Skidmore, a non-LDS Christian, said he found Southerton's scientific foundation hard to counter.
"I found him to be concise and academic, and his findings with respect to DNA were substantiated," Skidmore said. "It's hard to argue with evidence."
The presentation went well. At the beginning Simon did a good job of setting a non-confrontational tone. There were a few Mormons there (no way to tell how many) but none of them spoke up or complained.
Donations were very good! We took donations from those attending. After our expenses for the event we had left over $300.02 that I was able to present to Simon as a speaker honorarium! I've included a photo showing when I gave Simon our gift on Saturday at the book signing at Border Books in Logan (in case you don't recognize either of us, Simon's the one wearing the jacket).
http://www.post-mormons.com/exp_e/images/uploads/PICT1608_smallest.jpg
The book signing was a nice easy paced event. We sat around in the coffee shop area and chatted, sipped coffee and Simon talked with people as they came in. Some of our local group members showed up and joined us too. There were no big crowds but during the two hours we were there there seemed to always be at least one or two people talking to Simon about his book. There was also a reporter from USU putting together a video segment of the event that will televise on the campus TV station as well as on Cache Valley's channel 3.
On Saturday the Herald Journal (Cache Valley's newspaper) did a front page article on the speaking event, including a color picture of Simon as he talked behind the podium the night before. Below is the text of the article.
I wish you all could have been there too!
Jeff
************************************************** *****
Controversial author speaks at USU
By Adam Benson
DNA-LDS theorist offers view to respectful crowd
A police officer flanked each of the two entrances to the Eccles Conference Center auditorium at Utah State University on Friday night to quell any disruptions to Simon Southerton's speech.
It turns out they weren't needed as Southerton, the author of a controversial book questioning the Mormon tenet that American Indians are descendants of the Israelite prophet Lehi, spoke without incident.
An Australian plant geneticist and former Mormon bishop, Southerton forwarded the theory, presented in his book "Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA and the Mormon Church," for a little more than an hour to a crowd of about 250. The talk originally was slated to take place in one of the building's smaller conference rooms but was moved to the 440-seat auditorium as audience members quickly filled the 110-seat room to capacity.
Before he began his lecture, Southerton laid out "ground rules" he told his audience he hoped they would follow.
"I don't want this to descend into an evening where we bag the LDS Church," he said. "It's a great and tremendous church and has been a big part and very important part of my life for 30 years."
However, he said, teachings based upon the belief that American Indians are direct ancestors of Lehi are scientifically inaccurate and genetically impossible.
"Church leaders still teach that Native Americans and Polynesians are descended from Lehi, and members challenging that belief generally find it uncomfortable in church if they publicize it," he said.
During a 30-minute question-and-answer session that followed Southerton's speech, questions largely related to the scientific aspects of his research.
That, said Thomas Kimball of Signature Books, was a far cry from the reception Southerton received at a similar lecture in St. George earlier this week. Kimball, whose company published Southerton's book, said in St. George, several people inappropriately offered impromptu religious testimonials during the question-and-answer session following Southerton's talk.
On Friday, one man asked Southerton, since his lineage argument deconstructs a primary pillar of Latter-day Saint ideology, whether he had the same doubts about the Bible.
"I don't know that I necessarily dismiss The Book of Mormon out of hand," Southerton replied. "I have no agenda or belief structure."
Last year, The Herald Journal printed an Associated Press story concerning Southerton's book, sparking a flurry of letters to the editor from both sides of the issue. On Friday, many audience members said they came away with an education.
"I thought it was great, and I thought the genealogy was very interesting," a woman who identified herself only as non-LDS said in a hallway outside the auditorium.
Preston resident and LDS member Beverly Kunz agreed.
"I was very impressed," Kunz said. "It makes me wonder if the Mormons weren't living a fable."
She also said that while "the Christian aspects of the LDS Church are great," she still has questions about the doctrinal foundation of her faith.
"I have questions about what the church is teaching," she said.
Sherry Griffith, a former Mormon, made the drive from Salt Lake City on Friday night to hear Southerton's talk.
"It was marvelous stuff," Griffith said.
Logan resident Kevin Skidmore, a non-LDS Christian, said he found Southerton's scientific foundation hard to counter.
"I found him to be concise and academic, and his findings with respect to DNA were substantiated," Skidmore said. "It's hard to argue with evidence."