DNA testing

[R7ehr]

Thoughts on this? I know 23andMe is broke.

Pros, cons, thoughts?

[JohnL]

The only reason I can think of to have my DNA tested is for concerns about inherited medical conditions. I see there's a possible use for legal reasons too but those commercial companies aren't used for that.

I think those DNA testing companies are profiting off of people who feel a need to identify with someone or some culture in order to feel less like a number or anonymous non-person. If I'm a disciple of Jesus then the only thing that matters is who I am now. How am I living out my discipleship now? Not what my ancestors did or what culture or ethnic group or whoever they were.

[Neto]

I have thought about it, but didn't because of the cost. I volunteered for a Plautdietsch genealogy research project, but they already had enough respondents from my surnames. I would have on my own, except for the costs involved. It would possibly answer some questions I have about my family background up to and around the time of the "baptism-minded" movement in The Netherlands, and maybe suggest some answers regarding my ancestor who was found as an infant, abandoned under a bush in the colony in what is now Ukraine.

[Robert]

I sent mine in years ago to the National Geographic genealogy project that was working out migration patterns. I later sent in to Ancestry.com because my daughter was doing a lot of genealogical research about our history. Turns out I am from one of the lost tribes of Israel. I had ~2% Middle East heritage so I just claimed that to my daughter.

Because of the tracing she did, both my two daughters and a couple of nieces are working on dual citizenship with the USA and Italy. This will give them EU citizenship and they can travel anywhere in the EU easily.

I don't know how they get the money to travel, but they have made one trip to Italy already. My youngest daughter plans on living in Italy 6 months out of the year. She is some corporate finance big shot and can do that.

[Judas Maccabeus]

Not ever.

Potential misuse of handing this information to what is essentially an amoral corporation. In a bankruptcy process, it is the companies most valuable asset, and all promises are likely null and void.

[temporal1]

I have thought about it, but didn't because of the cost.

I volunteered for a Plautdietsch genealogy research project, but they already had enough respondents from my surnames. I would have on my own, except for the costs involved. It would possibly answer some questions I have about my family background up to and around the time of the "baptism-minded" movement in The Netherlands, and maybe suggest some answers regarding my ancestor who was found as an infant, abandoned under a bush in the colony in what is now Ukraine.

There are sales this weekend, including Monday. i think 23+me has a sale, too. About this time every year.
https://www.ancestry.com/c/dna/

i have a free Ancestry membership. The paid memberships have become expensive.
i mostly use a free membership with www.FamilySearch.com, a Latter Day Saints site.

Not ever.

Potential misuse of handing this information to what is essentially an amoral corporation. In a bankruptcy process, it is the companies most valuable asset, and all promises are likely null and void.

Ugh. part of me fears this. my son is mistrusting of it. i hope i don’t regret participating.
If i recall, Josh did more than one test, he had quite a lot to say about them. Probably on MD.

i have a couple of deceased relatives i’d like to locate, i haven’t pursued the DNA route.

[barnhart]

I'm a little sceptical of the way dna is sometimes used to form identity. It seems vaguely fascist to me. For example, according to my parents DNA I have ancestors from West Africa and sub Saharan Africa as well, but it would be farcical for me to claim to be Black or African. I have also observed that most euro-americans who pay those ancestry places turn out to be descendants of Kings.

[temporal1]

I'm a little sceptical of the way dna is sometimes used to form identity. It seems vaguely fascist to me. For example, according to my parents DNA I have ancestors from West Africa and sub Saharan Africa as well, but it would be farcical for me to claim to be Black or African. I have also observed that most euro-americans who pay those ancestry places turn out to be descendants of Kings.

i’ve found it interesting how DNA has proven so many former observations correct, example:

There is no king who has not had a slave among his ancestors, and no slave who has not had a king among his.
Helen Keller: The Story of My Life

i doubt the pattern HKeller describes is limited to euro-americans, i wouldn’t guess that for one moment.
not all the world’s kings were/are european! i’m pretty sure kings are fully represented on every continent, in big ways, as well in remote tribal ways.

having earthly kings is a human condition.

no matter where, they exerted power+privilege, frequently that included lots of progeny, shall we say?
as well, they would be most likely to be remembered in recorded history, oral history, have monuments, etc.

a concern to me is how DNA has been used in criminal science. to identify and convict perpetrators.
of course there’s a positive to this. but .. ?? could it be abused? it’s kind of unnerving to think about.

[the-real-steve]

Not unless I am being accused of something and need to clear my name!

(Too much Law & Order )