Tag Archives: doctrine
(Page 5) Troy Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Story Spotlight
Troy was happy as a Mormon and sees Mormonism as part of Christianity. He saw extreme examples of leader worship that led him to see cult-like behavior in the church community. He’s not sure if it goes all the way to the top, but he saw enough to understand the church as being a corrupt …
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![“The principle spoken upon by brother Pratt, this morning [plural marriage], we believe in. And I tell you—for I know it—it will sail over and ride triumphantly above all the prejudice and priestcraft of the day: it will be fostered and believed in by the more intelligent portion of the world as one of the best doctrines ever proclaimed to any people.” - Brigham Young | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/brigham-young-polygamy-is-best-doctrine-ever.jpg?fit=640%2C640&ssl=1)
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 …
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 …
November Policy of LGBT Exclusion, The Reversal, and Mormon Mental Gymnastics
![“[We] have continued to seek the Lord’s guidance and to plead with Him in behalf of His children who were affected by the 2015 policy. We knew that this policy created concern and confusion for some and heartache for others.” - Russell M Nelson, regarding the November Policy Reversal, BYU Devotional, September 2019 | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/nelson-policy-reversal-Lords-guidance-2015-policy-created-concern-confusion-heartache.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1)
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 …
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Don’t Say Mormon
![[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=1200%2C1200&ssl=1)
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 …
Mormon Prophets Ignore Own Teachings and Council
In the April 2023 General Conference, President Russell M. Nelson pleaded with members of the church for more civility and decency. He states that vulgar language, fault-finding, and evil speaking of others are too common these days. This is wise counseling from the church leader. Does the prophet follow his own council? Should he or …
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Reversing the November Policy
The 2015 November Policy of Exclusion The November Policy of Exclusion, or the LDS Church policy to ban LGBT, was a controversial policy change by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in November 2015. This policy update was initially leaked to the public and was later officially confirmed by the LDS Church. The …
Truth and History are Anti-Mormon
One could define a faithful perspective as supporting the church’s truth claims at all costs. Anything that is outside of that faith-promoting mindset could be argued to be anti-mormon, because it doesn’t align with promoting faith in the church at all costs. We aren’t willing to sacrifice everything (as Elder Oaks says is his Apostolic …
As Man Now Is, God Once Was; As Now God Is, Man May Be – Lorenzo Snow
Lorenzo Snow coined a couplet that famously explains a complex doctrine of Mormon theology which is closely tied to the idea of eternal progression. It also gets Mormon theology in deep water with most other Christian denominations. It challenges (or changes) the nature of God and our relationship with him as mankind. It proclaims that …
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Latayne was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Story Spotlight
Latayne converted to Mormonism and was swept up in the fullness of the Gospel. She attended BYU and loved it. She came to a realization though that she trusted the Bible first and foremost, and began to study the church closer. As she studied she was startled by the “contrast between what I’d been taught …
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Hinckley’s “I Don’t Know That We Teach It” Interview
A famous saying within the Church states, “As man is now, God once was; as God is now, man may be.” This couplet, originating from Joseph Smith’s King Follet discourse, was popularized by the fifth Church President Lorenzo Snow. Time Magazine published an article about Mormons and asked President Gordon B Hinckley about this concept …
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Never Take Council From Those Who Do Not Believe – Says Russell M Nelson
In the October 2023 General Conference, President Russell M Nelson spoke to the church membership by way of a previously recorded message. He was unable to attend the conference because he’d injured his back when falling. He was not able to be miraculously healed and even mentioned the considerable pain he was in due to …
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Racist Brigham Young
Brigham Young, the second President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon Church), held racially discriminatory beliefs. These views included views on interracial marriage and the mixing of races and he taught them as doctrine from God at the pulpit of the church for decades. He calls it the law …
President Gordon B Hinckley Interview with San Francisco Chronicle
Gordon B Hinckley, then church president, was interviewed by Don Lattin on April 13, 1997 for SFGate, the digital home of the San Francisco Chronicle. The interview was in his room at the Santa Clara Marriott Hotel, just before he delivered an address to the World Forum of Silicon Valley. Here is the transcript of the interview as reported …
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The LDS Church and The November Policy of Exclusion – POX 2015
In November 2015, eight years ago, the church leaders intended to quietly institute a policy they had thought through deeply as a reaction to the United States deeming same-sex marriage federally legal in July of that year. The church had campaigned many many times against giving this recognition and civil equality to same-sex couples from …
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On Choosing to Believe
There are reasons to believe, and there are reasons to doubt. Can we simply choose to believe? Can’t we just stay in the pews even though our conscience and judgment tell us not to? What about tradition? What about the kids? Leaders tell us that we have a choice, and even a duty, to choose …
Apostates Can Never Have a Really Happy Day?
At the end of Section 76, (3 Degrees of Glory) the ‘D&C Commentary’ issues a salient warning to all those who would desert the faith, by naming brother Lyman Johnson as a: ‘Particular kind of apostate’ who “never had a really happy day” after leaving the fold and ended up drowning in an accident. “In one portion of this Revelation the eternal misery …
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Patrick Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Patrick served faithfully and notes that his “faith defined every decision of [his] life.” He was successful at putting his issues on the shelf for decades until he wasn’t and it came time to understand and accept his own gay child in the context of the church. He found the church position lacking when studying …
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First Presidency Urged for Segregation
Let’s examine the common Mormon apologist argument that leaders are simply “men of their times” through a story of racist thoughts and practices in the church. Priesthood Ban The church enjoys celebrating the lifting of the priesthood ban in 1978. But we can’t give them any credit for doing it either, since it was the …
Men Of Their Times
Church leaders assert that they directly follow God’s guidance, exempting themselves from apologies and social pressure, like for example addressing racism within church doctrine and culture. Apologists claim that church leaders are merely “men of their times” and can’t be judged by today’s standards. These two ideas don’t work together. Either the leaders are led …
Gordon B Hinckley on Larry King Live | Interview Transcript 1998
Transcript of Larry King Live: Gordon Hinckley – Distinguished Religious Leader of the Mormons. Remember that time Hinckley was on Larry King in 1998? Looking back at the transcript, he said quite a few surprising things on air. Hinckley claimed that when people think of Mormons when polygamy is mentioned, they do it “mistakenly” and …
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The Lord Is At The Helm?
Despite the fact that church leaders remind us constantly that the Lord is at the head of the church, Uchtforf’s refreshing frankness here clarifies that it’s really men running things, and not the Lord. Once you see it, it’s clear that church leaders are merely men doing their best and stumbling along. They are not …
Ken Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Ken converted to the church and then faithfully served in church callings and as a CES Educator. Over his 27 years teaching for the church, he grew increasingly uneasy with the whitewashed history the church teaches and took notes along the way. Eventually, this led to a tipping point where he “just couldn’t violate [his] …
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Was it the Angel Moroni or Nephi? Both? Neither?
Joseph Smith’s early stories involve the visitation of a specific angel in his bedroom. The current narrative states that this was the angel Moroni, the same Moroni that tops all the temples. He was the last writer of the Book of Mormon. However, some records indicate that it was the angel Nephi who first visited …
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Joseph Smith’s Treasure Digging In Doctrine and Covenants
The church has reluctantly had to admit that Joseph Smith used his seer stones in his efforts to translate the Book of Mormon and not just the Urim and Thummim he received with the gold plates. They don’t like to admit that the seer stone in question is the same one he used in his …
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60 Minutes: Gordon B. Hinckley Interview Transcript
The following is the transcript of the interview with Gordon B Hinckley, LDS Church President, Bill Marriott, Marriott Executive, Orrin Hatch, Utah Senator, Steve Young, Professional Football Player and an unnamed BYU Student. The original segment aired on April 7, 1996.
Oaks’ ‘No Apologies’ – The Church Doesn’t Seek or Give Apologies
In 2015 while speaking with Elder D Todd Christofferson, Elder Dallin H Oaks made a defacto statement that is still reverberating for many Mormons: among believers and non-believers. Elder Christofferson was asked what the church leadership thinks of church members who support same-sex marriage and stated that members can believe what they wish, but warned …
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