Determining whether The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as the Mormon Church) qualifies as a cult hinges on various criteria. According to the BITE model, we find evidence that it meets several characteristics associated with cults. Note that the term “cult” carries negative connotations and lacks a universally agreed-upon definition, and …
Tag Archives: Brigham Young
Kevin W. Pearson, Holy Ghost Not Active For Doubters or Apostates
Salt Lake Area held a YSA conference where they also held a speed dating event which set a new world record for the number of people at a speed dating event (at 2,060). After receiving the award, Elder Pearson gave the keynote address to the YSA conference attendees. Kevin Pearson described three types of people: …
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Erica Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Meet Erica, a woman with deep spiritual roots and pioneer ancestors. Raised as a devout Mormon, Erica valued her spirituality and sees it as a vital part of her identity. However, her journey took an unexpected turn when a prayer about tithing led to a surprising answer that she did not need to pay money …
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Mormon Race Problems – As They Affect the Church, Mark E Petersen
LDS Apostle Mark E. Petersen, is known for his intolerance and prejudice. He gave a speech at BYU entitled Race Problems – As They Affect the Church in 1954. This talk is not included in the list of BYU Speeches, though they do include his earlier talks from 1953 entitled Tolerance and Chastity. This talk …
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Mormon Polygamy: Taking Wives Akin to Buying Cows
Heber C. Kimball Heber C. Kimball was a prominent figure in early Mormon history, known for his leadership roles within the Latter-day Saint movement. Born in 1801 in Vermont, Kimball became an early convert to Mormonism and played a significant role in its expansion and establishment. He was a close associate of Joseph Smith, and …
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Hannah Maria Goddard, Lorenzo Snow’s Nearly Forgotten Wife
Lorenzo Snow, the 5th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was a dutiful Mormon polygamist. He jumped right into the practice and went (according to some accounts) from single to husband of four wives in just 2 days! The official lists of his marriages show he was married to 9 (at …
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The Wives of Lorenzo Snow
Lorenzo Snow Lorenzo Snow was born April 3, 1814, in Ohio. He joined the church in June of 1836 at 22 years of age. In 1837, he was called on a mission, and while serving he missed the failure of the Kirtland Safety Society. He moved to Far West in the summer of 1838, and …
The Mormon-Canadian-BYU Billion Dollar Tithing Funnel
Investigation reveals more than $1 billion raised by the Mormon church in Canada has been funneled to the U.S. rather than going to charitable works in this country. We hear from former members in Canada and elsewhere who say concerns about how money is spent have led them to leave the church. – The Fifth …
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Brad Wilcox On Asking the Wrong Questions
Brad Wilcox, the Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency gave a Fireside address in Alpine, Utah on February 6, 2022. He made quite a fool of himself and his rhetoric about members asking the wrong questions. He ridiculed a normal and valid question and then posed a racist question instead. He also accuses …
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Lorenzo Snow Taught Women Have Less Light and Knowledge Than Men
In 1857, Lorenzo Snow, then Apostle in the church gave a talk at the Tabernacle. Earlier that year he had married his seventh wife (and continued to marry two more after this). Lorenzo Snow became president of the church in 1898, and was president for 3 years. What did this man think of women? Would …
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McConkie Got It Wrong – Redacted Mormon Doctrine
Prior to 1978, LDS church leaders wrestled to understand the priesthood ban. They listened to explanations from Brigham Young and other church presidents who taught about the subject. They continued teaching the same things, and in some cases came up with new explanations. That changed in 1978, when the church flipped a 180 and granted …
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President Oaks Fibbing For The Lord Again – Prompt and Public Disavowal of Racism?
The church celebrates its own decision to stop the racially discriminatory practice of banning the priesthood from anyone of African descent in 1978. To show that they are not racist, they wanted to point out that it has now been 40 years since they stopped being racist. There was a big self-congratulatory spectacle planned for …
Church Leaders on Power and Authority Broadly Given To Women
During the Worldwide Relief Society Devotional and Testimony Meeting on March 17, 2024, President Russell M. Nelson and the Relief Society General Presidency spoke to the members of the Relief Society and Young Women. The event was a 40-minute video production. The remarkable part is the claim J. Anette Dennis, First Counselor in the Relief Society …
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Church Claims Activism a Tactic of Satan and Gaslights Members
Brother Ahmad S. Corbitt, the then First Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, gave a talk to LDS Chaplains, on October 4, 2022, in which he teaches against activism directed towards the church. He doesn’t want members getting any ideas that they can influence or change things the church does by criticizing, complaining, or …
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Mormons and Interracial Marriage
President Spencer W Kimball, as president of the church gave a speech at BYU about Marriage and Divorce in 1976. This talk is currently referenced frequently, nearly 50 years later, in church lesson manuals and by church leaders. In this talk, he spoke against interracial marriages. He advised against marriages between those from differing economic …
What is ‘Letter For My Wife’
Letter For My Wife is a document aggregating questions and doubts about the Mormon church written by a questioning Mormon to his wife. The letter is meant to discuss the questions and concerns with the church’s truth claims or truth crisis and this man’s testimony. The letter was started as a document in 2009, when …
I Know The Church Is True
Nearly every speaker in a testimony meeting says “I know the church is true.” This is a nonsensical statement, but considering the Illusory Truth Effect we can see what the church may be after. We know that repetitions don’t make statements any more true, but psychologically we do tend to believe things we’ve heard repeatedly. …
Unwritten Rules Are A Foundation Built On Sand
Mormonism Is a Religion of Unwritten Rules Mormonism as a religion and a culture relies heavily on unwritten and even unspoken rules. The religion judges members on these rules and judges everyone for adherence to the unwritten rules. There are theological assumptions that are entirely based on some of these rules and the religion has …
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Brigham Young – No People Who Pay Females More Respect
Brigham Young is famous for having fifty-six wives. He was a champion of polygamy and is credited with integrating polygamy publicly within the Mormon religion. While Joseph Smith participated and started the practice of polygamy, he did it in secret. After Joseph Smith was killed, Brigham Young moved the church and most of the members …
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BYU Counsels Divorcees to “Fill the holes that were once filled by sex”
The Covenant Intimacy Conversations discuss the challenging transition individuals may face when moving from a state of being sexually active to sexually inactive due to divorce or the death of a spouse. It states that while it may not be possible to fully replace the aspect of sexual intimacy lost through such life changes, individuals …
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Another “Moment in the Barn is One She’ll Never Forget”
The church published a Gospel Living article on its website with a title referring to a memorable “moment in the barn” as one that “she” would never forget. The title is full of intrigue and leads a reader to wonder who this she is, and what this unforgettable moment was. Mary Whitmer in the Barn …
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Apostle LeGrand Richards on Lifting the Priesthood Ban
In this interview, LeGrand Richards discusses the revelation to lift the priesthood ban for individuals of African descent and the subsequent Official Declaration 2. He highlights the role of Spencer Kimball, the then-president of the church, in seeking guidance on this matter. An admitted catalyst for the revelation is the concern about the growing number …
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Mormon Bishop Resigns at Pulpit in Mississippi Sacrament Meeting
A Mormon Bishop in a Mississippi Ward resigned from his calling during a message he delivered in sacrament meeting in front of his ward. He asked to be released from his calling and wanted his ward to hear about it directly from him. He states it is not because of any sins or because he’s …
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Examine What You Know – Dismiss What Insults Your Soul
Walt Whitman Walt Whitman (1819-92) is considered to be the most important American poet of the 19th century. He published the first edition of his major work, Leaves of Grass, in 1855 and updated it throughout his life with updated editions. Whitman’s work broke away from traditional poetic forms, embracing free verse and celebrating the …
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A Fig For Polygamy?
Early church leaders (Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and Orson Pratt among others) allegedly had a change of heart for polygamy. At first, they reportedly resisted the practice but later on accepted it and vehemently defended it. Did they really resist in the first place or are these just retro-active stories and manipulation in order to …
Mother Knows Best – Joseph Smith’s Mother on The First Vision
Today’s church narrative tells the story of a young rambunctious yet spiritual lad of 14 who is stressed about which church to join and is absorbed in the words of the Bible. He finds the passage that if he lacks wisdom, he should pray (James 1:5). He resolves to pray and the heavens are opened. …
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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 …
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