Yearly Archives: 2026

The 1832 First Vision Account Leaves Out “Which Church Is True?” Question

The Restoration story most members know starts with a question. In the 1838 account (Joseph Smith—History, every missionary flip chart), fourteen-year-old Joseph walks into the woods near Palmyra, troubled by competing churches, and asks God which denomination is right. The lessons set the hook with Joseph’s honest seeking and provide a foreshadowing solution, simply ask …

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“The teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible... My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join... I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.” - 1838 First Vision Account | Joseph Smith—History 1:10-20 | wasmormon.org
“The teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible... My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join... I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.” - 1838 First Vision Account | Joseph Smith—History 1:10-20

Corbridge’s Belief Trumps Discomfort vs Bishop Darth Vader

Lawrence E. Corbridge is at it again. In his 2019 BYU Devotional Stand Forever, the emeritus General Authority Seventy told members that hard questions about church history, polygamy, racism, translation methods, DNA evidence, and LGBTQ policies were merely “secondary.” Settle the “primary” questions first — Is there a God? Is Jesus the Christ? Was Joseph …

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“Belief trumps discomfort. If viewed from the institutional perspective, then those arguments for leaving make sense. If you see the church as the kingdom of God on Earth, then you will stay, come what may!” - Lawrence E. Corbridge, Emeritus General Authority Seventy Scripture Central, 2026 | wasmormon.org
“Belief trumps discomfort. If viewed from the institutional perspective, then those arguments for leaving make sense. If you see the church as the kingdom of God on Earth, then you will stay, come what may!” - Lawrence E. Corbridge, Emeritus General Authority Seventy Scripture Central, 2026
“[The LDS Church] doesn't bother lobbying rank-and-file members or going on record in open meetings like other political participants do; instead, [the Church] whispers to a few members of [legislative] leadership, and things magically happen.” - Steve Urquhart, former Utah state senator, Salt Lake Tribune, August 4, 2017 | wasmormon.org
“[The LDS Church] doesn't bother lobbying rank-and-file members or going on record in open meetings like other political participants do; instead, [the Church] whispers to a few members of [legislative] leadership, and things magically happen.” - Steve Urquhart, former Utah state senator, Salt Lake Tribune, August 4, 2017
“None of the 104 members of the legislature have any control. The only entity who can tell you whether this [LGBT anti-discrimination bill] will pass is the Mormon Church.” - Steve Urquhart, former Utah state senator, interview with Lee Hale, KUER 45 Days bonus episode "Temple & State," February 14, 2018 | wasmormon.org
“None of the 104 members of the legislature have any control. The only entity who can tell you whether this [LGBT anti-discrimination bill] will pass is the Mormon Church.” - Steve Urquhart, former Utah state senator, interview with Lee Hale, KUER 45 Days bonus episode "Temple & State," February 14, 2018
“When the LDS lobbyists contact a legislator, the conversation goes like this: We are here to discuss such-and-such bill. We have received our orders 'directly from the top,' and we want you to vote for this bill. They mention that they received their orders 'from the top,' so that the legislator would know unequivocally that the LDS Church’s First Presidency sent them.” - Carl Wimmer, former Utah state House Representative The Role of The LDS Church in Utah's Politics, March 22, 2015 | wasmormon.org
“When the LDS lobbyists contact a legislator, the conversation goes like this: We are here to discuss such-and-such bill. We have received our orders 'directly from the top,' and we want you to vote for this bill. They mention that they received their orders 'from the top,' so that the legislator would know unequivocally that the LDS Church’s First Presidency sent them.” - Carl Wimmer, former Utah state House Representative The Role of The LDS Church in Utah's Politics, March 22, 2015
“There was intensity I had never felt before or after on the house floor. It was the intensity that comes only from political bullying, and it killed me to know that this time the "bully" was my own church.... If the LDS Church wants something in Utah politics, they get it.” - Carl Wimmer, former Utah state House Representative The Role of The LDS Church in Utah's Politics, March 22, 2015 | wasmormon.org
“There was intensity I had never felt before or after on the house floor. It was the intensity that comes only from political bullying, and it killed me to know that this time the "bully" was my own church.... If the LDS Church wants something in Utah politics, they get it.” - Carl Wimmer, former Utah state House Representative The Role of The LDS Church in Utah's Politics, March 22, 2015