Comments on: More than Just a Parable: The Genetic History of the Samaritans

By: Thane of Towson

Thane of Towson — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 02:35:59 +0000

Very interesting…. Why is it the Parable of the Good Samaritan? Why not the Good Nubian? Why not the Parable of the Good Egyptian? Apparently, the parable was an attempt to reconcile Jews, not all mankind. Who is your neighbor in the Jewish people’s books?

By: AnneH

AnneH — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 21:44:58 +0000

Thanks for your question, Jeff! It is true that the subject of a group’s genetic origins has often sparked debate. We at 23andMe recognize that genetic data can reveal surprises and provide new information about a group’s history — information that may in fact be inconsistent with a group’s understanding of its history.

We try to convey the message that genetic information - such as the information I’ve discussed here on the genetic history of the Samaritans - is statistical. For example, a study showing that 60% of a group belongs to haplogroup J means that 40% of the population belongs to other haplogroups, and may indeed have a different genetic history. And we keep in mind that the Y and mtDNA lineages trace just a fraction of an individual’s ancestry and just part of a group’s history.

Hopefully, as the popularity of genetic anthropology grows over the next few years, both scientists and the general public will be able to understand further what genetic studies, such as the one chronicled here on the Samaritans, mean both for individuals and for populations

Thanks for reading!
-AnneH

By: Jeff Monaghan

Jeff Monaghan — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 06:25:35 +0000

Anne,
Very interesting post. As a fan of 23andMe I always made the assumption that people would find the information you provided fascinating and useful. Your post, however, bright to light an entirely different scenario I never thought of. The fact that the information discovered through your service might not fit within the well established beliefs of certain groups of people. Does 23andMe discuss this internally? There seems to people a lot of situations where your service could stir up a bit of controversy.

Thanks,
Jeff