Monthly Archives: November 2023
Judging Past Leaders by Today’s Standards
Church members and leaders enjoy the refrain that we can’t judge Joseph Smith (and other church leaders) by modern standards. Nobody today should criticize them for living according to the cultural norms of the day. People thought and did things differently back then. This expands beyond Mormon church leaders into politics etc. There are many …
Continue reading “Judging Past Leaders by Today’s Standards”
!["What’s in a name or, in this case, a nickname? When it comes to nicknames of the Church, such as the “LDS Church,” the “Mormon Church,” or the “Church of the Latter-day Saints,” the most important thing in those names is the absence of the Savior’s name. To remove the Lord’s name from the Lord’s Church is a major victory for Satan." - President Russell M. Nelson 2018 | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Nelson-2018-nicknames-of-the-church-is-a-major-victory-for-Satan.jpg?fit=640%2C640&ssl=1)
!["Thus, the name of the Church is not negotiable. When the Savior clearly states what the name of His Church should be and even precedes His declaration with, “Thus shall my church be called,” He is serious. And if we allow nicknames to be used or adopt or even sponsor those nicknames ourselves, He is offended." - President Russell M. Nelson, 2018 | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Nelson-2018-if-we-allow-Mormon-nickname-God-offended.jpg?fit=640%2C640&ssl=1)
!["Note carefully the language of the Lord. He did not say, “Thus shall my church be named.” He said, “Thus shall my church be called.” Years ago, its members were cautioned by the Brethren who wrote: “We feel that some may be misled by the too frequent use of the term ‘Mormon Church.’” Before any other name is considered to be a legitimate substitute, the thoughtful person might reverently consider the feelings of the Heavenly Parent who bestowed that name." - Elder Russell M. Nelson, General Conference, April 1990 | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Nelson-1990-too-frequent-use-of-Mormon-inconsiderate-to-Gods-feelings.jpg?fit=640%2C640&ssl=1)
Major Victories for Satan
LDS Church leader, Russell Nelson, has for decades wanted to do away with the nickname of the church. It seems to have been a pet peeve of his, and he single-handedly announced a plea to use the full name of the church in 1990 when he was a junior apostle. The next conference, however, President …
!["Thomas S. Monson dies and Russell M. Nelson takes over, and almost immediately ... after the "I'm a Mormon" campaign which the church spent millions on, after the movie "Meet the Mormons" that the church spent millions on... Some decisions made in Salt Lake headquarters that because people have negative associations with the word, Mormon and we're losing the SEO war with the term Mormon, let's be witty and smart and abandon the term Mormon because it's a loser anyway, and let's pivot toward Jesus. So then, Russell M. Nelson blows everyone away by saying, "To use the word Mormon to identify the Mormon church, or the Mormon people, is a victory for Satan". Which his predecessor and multiple predecessors before, had all done!" - John Dehlin, Host of Mormon Stories Podcast #1424 | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/John-Dehlin-Dont-Say-Mormon.jpg?fit=640%2C640&ssl=1)
![[In Seminary,] I put up Nelson's talk that he gave in [1990], and I contrast it with his talk in 2018. I say, "What's different?" and it's like "using the word mormon is bad," and the other one is "using the word Mormon is a victory for Satan." I'm like, "What do you guys see as different?" The kids were like "yeah, that's kind of interesting." Then, I literally put up pictures of the London Underground that had "I'm a Mormon" and Times Square with "I'm a Mormon" and I asked my students the question, "Tell me what you guys think about this?" They were very clear, "I don't think that's a victory for Satan, or else Monson would have been doing Satan's work, and how does that make sense?" I'm like, "Yep, sounds about right. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen" - Marc Oslund, Former Seminary Teacher, Mormon Stories #1424 | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Marc-Oslund-Dont-Say-Mormon.jpg?fit=640%2C640&ssl=1)
Lucky was a Mormon | An Ex-Mormon Story Spotlight
Lucky was troubled with questions about the Mormon faith of her upbringing. She researched her questions and came to the conclusion that “Mormonism was not something that I could believe in.” She feels lucky that she left home and created her own life and is now loving the life she has and wouldn’t change it. …
Continue reading “Lucky was a Mormon | An Ex-Mormon Story Spotlight”
November Policy of LGBT Exclusion, The Reversal, and Mormon Mental Gymnastics
In November 2015 a new church policy was leaked and upset many members of the church and those outside the church. It became known as the November Policy of Exclusion. It affected those who are LGBTQ+ allies and family and friends by prohibiting children of same-sex married couples from being baptized or blessed at church …
Continue reading “November Policy of LGBT Exclusion, The Reversal, and Mormon Mental Gymnastics”
Don’t Say Mormon
Marc Oslund and John Dehlin discussed Russell M. Nelson’s “Victory for Satan” talk on Mormon Stories Episode #1424. They discuss that the blind belief in only the living prophet’s words is unsustainable and Nelson’s war on ‘Mormon‘ has been his own personal pet peeve from the beginning. The message from President Nelson that using the …
Facts Matter
Mormon scripture teaches that faith is hope in things that are not seen but true. If we can see that they are not true, then how can we still have faith in them? Faith is required when there is an absence of facts. It is a hope for things that are true but not seen. …
!["I went to college and built a life for myself across the country. I don’t think I could have done this if I stayed in my hometown. I feel a sense of loss about what Mormonism took from me as a child and a sense of loss for the relationships with family that are now more fragile. We love each other, but from a distance. Still, I wouldn’t change leaving the church. I needed to live my truth." - Lucky | https://wasmormon.org/profile/lucky/](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/wasmormon-lucky-04.jpg?fit=640%2C640&ssl=1)
Mike was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Story Spotlight
Mike was raised in a part-member family but never had missionary aspirations. Instead, he wanted to get an education and “fly jets.” He found immense pressure to serve a mission from ward members and was surprised when his Bishop presented him with mission papers. He declined and has been on a road to personal growth, …
Continue reading “Mike was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Story Spotlight”
![Why don't I leave the church alone? The authoritarian leaders inside of Mormonism are the ones most frequently asking this question. It is in their interest to tamp down any and all criticism or exposure of origins of and the real beliefs propagated within LDS/Mormonism. Their demands that we "leave the church alone" is like a bank robber telling the witnesses to be quiet, and not complain about or expose the heist. Of course having such an expectation is absurd in a world where one human being should be concerned with the well-being of any another human being and where all should want truth and justice to be the norm." - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/wasmormon-mike-deserveliberty-09.jpg?fit=640%2C640&ssl=1)
!["Mormonism is a fraudulent rip-off and perverted imposter of orthodox (small "o") Christian ideas, practice and history. When you think you are healed, de-programmed, free, or fully awakened... you probably aren't, yet. Am I happy? Yes, Exceedingly! More importantly, I am available to experience and embrace joy, grace, wisdom and truth through open seeking of it." - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/wasmormon-mike-deserveliberty-08.jpg?fit=640%2C640&ssl=1)
!["This was a bit of a surprise to me as my participation was approaching zero. Despite all of the propaganda about preparation, all that was really required was a body temp near 98.6F. Today, I wish that I had somehow already developed some swagger with which to respond to the Bishop. However, "No thank you. I have other plans..." might be all that I could muster. Subsequently, I earned a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and two advanced degrees, and I earned the titles "Colonel" and "Captain" in military and civilian aviation careers respectively." - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/wasmormon-mike-deserveliberty-07.jpg?fit=640%2C640&ssl=1)
!["The more socially preferred boys in the local Mormon society had no plans for their future. They were merely on the Mormon conveyor belt awaiting their processing into their servitude and then a continued infantilism of outwardly only doing what they were told to do, while inwardly, doing whatever they could get away with. My mother told me that the Bishop would like to have a meeting with me. By this time, I had recognized that the Bishop no longer had any sway of authority over me, as I had previously perceived him to have. At the meeting, the Bishop informed me that he had in front of him, on his desk, my Mission Calling paperwork. " - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/wasmormon-mike-deserveliberty-06.jpg?fit=640%2C640&ssl=1)