Jane Manning James: Faithful Servant, Denied Sisterhood, Sealed into Slavery

Jane Elizabeth Manning James was a remarkable woman who exemplified deep faith and resilience, despite the racism and systemic exclusion she endured within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Born free in Wilton, Connecticut, in the early 19th century. As a child, she worked as a domestic servant in a prosperous white household. …

Facsimile Problems with the Book of Abraham Translation Theory of Papyri as Catalyst

Apologists for the LDS Church have proposed a theory, the Catalyst Theory, to explain the translation of the Book of Abraham. This theory suggests that the Egyptian papyri Joseph Smith obtained were merely a spiritual trigger, or “catalyst,” for receiving inspired scripture. In other words, the physical texts weren’t actually translated in the traditional sense; …

Shifting Visions of God: Unpacking Mormonism’s Developing Theology Through Joseph Smith’s First Vision Accounts

Joseph Smith’s various accounts of the First Vision provide a window into his evolving theology, particularly regarding the nature of the Godhead. The changes in each version, when looked at as a narrative through a lens to understand the thinking of church leadership at the time, show ideas developing and how these changing ideas were …

Painted into a Corner: Prophets, Revelation, and the Mormon Church’s Integrity Crisis

The Mormon Church has painted itself into a theological and historical corner. Its unwavering position—that all teachings and policies come from direct revelation from God through a living prophet—has created a system resistant to introspection and allergic to correction. For nearly 200 years, this stance may have worked for the institution. But in the age …

Book of Mormon Most Racially and Ethnically Unifying Book on Earth

In 2014, the church published a series of “personal essays” from then Mission President and rising black LDS leader, Ahmad Corbitt. Admittedly, Corbitt says he was “asked to write this paper” on the “topic of the priesthood and African peoples.” This followed the church publishing the Gospel Topic Essays, and his paper specifically mentions the …

Renlund’s Boat Parable – Showcase of Demonizing Doubters and Dismissing Concerns

In 2019, both Dale G. Renlund, LDS Apostle, and his wife, Ruth L. Renlund, gave a talk at a Worldwide devotional from BYU-Hawaii. They shared a colorful parable to marginalize and blame doubters for their struggles with the church’s false truth claims. They claimed to be prompted to share this message and that they’d been …

Fast Food Orders vs Quitting Church – McDonald’s, Messed-Up Orders, and the Commoditization of Religion

A popular meme has been making the rounds. These memes read: “McDonald’s can mess up your order 101 times and you still keep going back… One thing goes wrong at church and you quit.” This suggests that people are more forgiving of mistakes at fast-food restaurants like McDonald’s than they are of issues with a church. It …

Lilburn Boggs’ Extermination Order and Mormon War

The Mormon-Missouri War (1838) was a conflict between the Mormon settlers in Missouri and their non-Mormon neighbors, culminating in violent clashes, forced expulsions, and the infamous Missouri Executive Order 44, also known as the so-called “Extermination Order.” While the Mormon Church often portrays itself as the innocent victim of religious persecution, the historical reality is …

Brigham Young’s Blood Atonement Distorts Love – He Had “no wife whom I love so well that I would not put a javelin through her heart”

Brigham Young advocated for violent retribution as a form of atonement. Let’s look at one of the most extreme examples of his teachings on blood atonement, a controversial and “unofficial” doctrine which teaches that some sins require the shedding of the sinner’s own blood for redemption and that they are beyond the scope of Christ’s …

Jeffrey R. Holland, Logical Fallacies, Manipulation, Guilt, and Fake Testimonies

In his MTC address, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s statement is filled with logical fallacies that manipulate emotions rather than provide actual evidence for the LDS Church’s truth claims. The “Borrowed Testimony” Fallacy “If there is anyone in the room who’s struggling with a testimony, you have one — mine!” This is similar to advice from …

Richard Bushman, Mormon Historian, Concedes to CES Letter Truths on CES Letters Podcast

Richard Bushman concedes to many points Jeremy Runnells brought up in the CES Letter in a discussion on the CES Letters podcast. CES Letters has no affiliation with the CES Letter, but is the latest attempt to debunk it. Richard Bushman is asked a series of questions stemming from the CES Letter, and responds to …

How To Leave the Mormon Church

There are many reasons someone might decide to quit the Mormon Church, often stemming from a deep desire for authenticity, integrity, and personal freedom. For some, the decision arises after discovering inconsistencies in the church’s foundational narratives, such as the lack of evidence for the Book of Mormon or the troubling aspects of Joseph Smith’s …

Joseph Smith’s Kinderhook Plates Kinder-Surprise Translation Redaction

In Kinderhook, Illinois, about 50 miles south of Nauvoo, six bell-shaped brass plates were allegedly found when digging up a burial mound on a farmer’s land. He said he’d dreamt about finding treasure in the mound and organized a dig. A couple Mormons were present when some small plates with ancient-looking inscriptions were found and …

Are Nephites or Lamanites The Principal or Among Ancestors of Native Americans? DNA Answers

The research into Native American DNA conclusively demonstrates that the ancestors of American Indians migrated from Asia, not the Middle East. This has profound implications for the claims of the Book of Mormon. For decades, the Book of Mormon described Lamanites as the “principal ancestors” of American Indians—a key narrative aligning with Joseph Smith’s teachings …

The Drawn Flaming Sword of Polygamy – Spiritual Abuse and Manipulation

Joseph Smith secretly practiced polyandry and polygamy, or what the church later called plural marriage. The church freely admits this today (when forced) whereas previously it was all denied as anti-mormon lies. A strange hill to die on since the church is well known for practicing polygamy for decades in Utah. The church was hesitant …