Among the first votes of dissent in the modern Mormon church occurred in 1977, in opposition to the church doctrine banning blacks from any priesthood ordination and temple endowment. A member voted opposed to sustaining church leadership in General Conference 1977 and was subsequently excommunicated. Then less than 1 year later the church downgraded the …
Tag Archives: evidence
(Page 6)Richard Packham Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Richard Packham is a founding father of the ex-mormon internet. He tells his story of diving deep into church history in order to spread the gospel. He found troubling issues and even wrote to Joseph Fielding Smith to make sense of it all. Everything clicked one moment when he realized all his questions and problems …
Continue reading “Richard Packham Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight”
The Anachronistic Olive Tree Allegory from Zenos in Jacob 5
Jacob 5 is a story about an orchard of Olive Trees and a servant who grafts branches from wild trees to tame trees and vice versa all according to the commands from the Lord of the Vineyard. The allegory represents the past, and future history of the House of Israel. It discusses the scattering of Israel before …
Continue reading “The Anachronistic Olive Tree Allegory from Zenos in Jacob 5”
Defiant Apologists Challenge the New Seer Stone Narrative
The Mormon church is shifting the narrative surrounding the Book of Mormon translation lately by admitting that Joseph used a rock in his hat as a main translation method. This narrative shift has put some apologists in an awkward position. The Joseph Smith Foundation apologist group has published a book discussing Joseph Smith’s use of …
Continue reading “Defiant Apologists Challenge the New Seer Stone Narrative”
Thoughts and Prayers
In his lazy learners and lax disciples talk at the April 2021 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, church President Russell M Nelson emphasized the importance of developing faith in Jesus Christ through intentional effort and action. He refers to doubters as “lazy learners and lax disciples” and blames them …
Timeline of the First Vision Story and Development
The First Vision is a foundational event in the history and theology of the Church. It refers to an experience Joseph Smith claimed to have had as a young man. In the spring of 1820, he seeks guidance and religious truth. In later accounts, he described going into a grove of trees and praying to …
Continue reading “Timeline of the First Vision Story and Development”
More Momon Thoughts on Evolution
Alongside statements from previous church president Joseph Fielding Smith that if evolution is true, the church is false and current church president Russell M Nelson that he finds evolution unbelievable because “Man has always been Man,” “it’s just the way genetics works,” we have other leaders offering their “inspired” views on evolution. Can we dismiss …
The Strange Hidden First Vision Account of 1832
There are multiple accounts of Joseph Smith’s “first vision”. This is a fact and today the church admits it. The church wants to dismiss these different accounts though by claiming that they really aren’t different because they tell the same consistent story. The details are in fact very different though. The earliest version of this …
Continue reading “The Strange Hidden First Vision Account of 1832”
Elder McKay’s Sure and Certain Foundation for Unhistory and Brainwashing
Elder McKay the official Church Historian, with no credentials for history, but a career lawyer and executive gave a devotional at BYU-I in April 2023 titled A Sure and Certain Foundation. He detailed to students and young adults how to strengthen their faith in the church and how to face doubts. Elder McKay, Church Historian …
Continue reading “Elder McKay’s Sure and Certain Foundation for Unhistory and Brainwashing”
Pascal’s Wager for Mormons and Ex-Mormons
Pascal’s Wager is an argument proposed by the French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal in the 17th century, which attempts to demonstrate that it is rational to believe in God. It does not provide evidence or proof that God exists, but it sets up belief as a rational choice we can make and outlines the …
Continue reading “Pascal’s Wager for Mormons and Ex-Mormons”
On Being a Mormon Historian from Michael Quinn
The late Dr. D. Michael Quinn was among the many scholars who were forced to choose between promoting church propaganda and maintaining their integrity as historians in response to Elder Packer’s controversial talk “The Mantle is Far Greater Than the Intellect,”. Quinn delivered a pointed response to Elder Packer’s remarks in his lecture entitled “On …
Continue reading “On Being a Mormon Historian from Michael Quinn”
Russell M Nelson Continues Mormon Tradition To Deny Evolution
Joseph Fielding Smith wasn’t the only church leader that didn’t accept evolution. He claimed, “if evolution is true, the church is false.” He could be dismissed as a “man of his times”, especially now that it’s been a lifetime since he published that statement in his Doctrines of Salvation book. We have this same sentiment …
Continue reading “Russell M Nelson Continues Mormon Tradition To Deny Evolution”
Church and its Inoculation Approach to Addressing Historical Details
The church is working hard to inoculate the youth from the disease of church history. They are teaching seminary students in the scripture mastery program that historical details are not important since they can’t provide salvation, so let’s not get distracted by these less significant details. This conditions young members to ignore the troubling issues …
Continue reading “Church and its Inoculation Approach to Addressing Historical Details”
Russell Nelson to receive the Gandhi-King-Mandela Peace Prize
Mormon Church President, Russell M Nelson is being honored by the Martin Luther King Jr International Chapel on Morehouse College Campus in Atlanta, Georgia. He is to receive a new award, the first recipient, which is to be called the Gandhi-King-Mandela Peace Prize. This is in coordination with the Gandhi-King-Ikeda Institute at the chapel. What …
Continue reading “Russell Nelson to receive the Gandhi-King-Mandela Peace Prize”
Elder M Russell Ballard’s Colorful History With the SEC
Before M Russell Ballard was an apostle, he is praised as a successful businessman. He was involved in various business pursuits in Utah. He was the top-selling salesman for his father’s Nash car dealership, which he left and in the late 1950s put his efforts into being the first Edsel car dealer in Salt Lake City. Sadly, …
Continue reading “Elder M Russell Ballard’s Colorful History With the SEC”
Other First Visions, Which are Not of This Fold
The First Vision of Joseph Smith is told today as an original exact story detailing the unique experience that sets the foundation for Mormonism and the restoration movement. We’ve discussed that even though one version of the story is canonized in Joseph Smith History as the “official” version, there are multiple versions of the first …
Continue reading “Other First Visions, Which are Not of This Fold”
Mormon Church Perpetually Gaslights Members
What Does Gaslighting Mean? The term “gaslighting” comes from the 1938 play Angel Street, which Alfred Hitchock later adapted into the film Gaslight, in which a man tries to convince his wife that she is going insane so he can steal from her. When he turns on the lights in the attic to search for her jewelry …
Continue reading “Mormon Church Perpetually Gaslights Members”
Jayme Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Jayme sought evidence for the testable truth claims of the church. He looked at the Book of Mormon and found it lacking when using history and science as his guide. I was a mormon. The testable truth claims that need to be true for the Book of Mormon to be true are not true. A …
Continue reading “Jayme Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight”
Fanny Alger, Joseph Smith’s “dirty, nasty, filthy affair” Teen Bride
What Happened between Fanny Alger and Joseph Smith? As a young woman, Fanny Alger was a servant in Joseph Smith’s house. She lived with the family for a time while also serving as a maid. Joseph Smith and Fanny got very close. Multiple accounts exist of Emma Smith, Joseph’s wife catching Joseph celestializing (sexually involved) …
Continue reading “Fanny Alger, Joseph Smith’s “dirty, nasty, filthy affair” Teen Bride”
Whistleblowing On the Mormon 100 Billion “Rainy-Day Fund”
David Nielsen, a former Ensign Peak portfolio manager, shared with his twin brother Lars about the shady practices and massive amounts of money the Mormon church, or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have in investments. Together the brothers compiled information and reported it to the authorities at the SEC (Securities Exchange Commission) …
Continue reading “Whistleblowing On the Mormon 100 Billion “Rainy-Day Fund””
The Joseph Smith “Like a Lamb to the Slaughter” Narrative is Myth
Joseph Smith purportedly knew he was going to be killed, and said the following, which is now canonized in the D&C scriptures as the dominant narrative of the church. I am going like a lamb to the slaughter; but I am calm as a summer’s morning; I have a conscience void of offense towards God, …
Continue reading “The Joseph Smith “Like a Lamb to the Slaughter” Narrative is Myth”
LDS Church’s Misstated Filings to SEC Approved by First Presidency
For the past week, the church has been all over the news. Not for something they will want to draw publicity. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced that the Church has been fined $5 Million for using shell companies to obscure the size of its investment portfolio. On February 21st, the SEC issued a …
Continue reading “LDS Church’s Misstated Filings to SEC Approved by First Presidency”
Jeffrey R Holland’s BBC Interview – Transcript and Video Clips
As a result of a believing Mormon potentially leading the United States, there was increased scrutiny of the Mormon church. John Sweeny, of the BBC, interviewed LDS Apostle Jeffrey Holland for a program called ‘The Mormon Candidate’ which aired on BBC in 2012. Holland is caught in lies during the interview and resorts to claiming he’s neither an idiot or a dodo.
Orson Pratt Wouldn’t Have Left the Mormon Church Alone
![If false, [The Book of Mormon] is one of most cunning, wicked, bold, deep-laid impositions ever palmed upon the world, calculated to deceive and ruin millions who will sincerely receive it as the word of God, and will suppose themselves securely built upon the rock of truth until they are with their families into hopeless despair. - Orson Pratt, Mormon Apostle](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/orson-pratt-if-bom-false.jpg?fit=940%2C1200&ssl=1)
Orson Pratt was an early Apostle of the church. He believed and proclaims that the Book of Mormon is inspired and true. He has some pointed criticisms of the book though if it turns out not to be true. If false, [The Book of Mormon] is one of most cunning, wicked, bold, deep-laid impositions ever …
Continue reading “Orson Pratt Wouldn’t Have Left the Mormon Church Alone”
What is the CES Letter? Is it True/Safe to Read?
The CES Letter is a collection of questions, concerns, and doubts about the Mormon church’s truth claims addressed to a Church Education System Director from Jeremy Runnels. Learn about the background, the effects and rebuttals and some of the contents.
Personal Mormon Faith Crisis Report – Faith Crisis Profiles
This faith crisis report next lists many anonymous faith crisis profiles each detailing the exit story of the member (along with precious statistics and demographics the church cares deeply about such as household income). Not to be confused with the actual faith crisis profiles shared on wasmormon.org.
Personal Mormon Faith Crisis Report – Research Summary
This report studies a faith crisis in detail along with an actual research survey of members who have left the church due to faith crisis and these respondents’ demographics such as age, gender, education level, household income, and church callings held as well as the primary reasons why the member left.
Spencer Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Spencer was all in. He has a mind for science, skepticism and critical thinking though. He applied these principles to his beliefs and they did not withstand the test. He doesn’t see evidence for supernatural beliefs and therefore left the church. I enjoy skiing, technology, and skepticism. I grew up Mormon, married in the temple, …
Continue reading “Spencer Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight”
Evolution vs Mormon Truth Claims from Joseph Fielding Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith was the 10th president of the church, the son of Joseph F Smith, the 6th president of the church, and the grandson of Hyrum Smith. He returned from his mission to England in 1901, and began to work in the Churcvh History offices and was later called to the quorum of the …
Continue reading “Evolution vs Mormon Truth Claims from Joseph Fielding Smith”
The Problems with Joseph Smith and Peep Stone Translations
Anyone who was raised Mormon, or even attended the church for any length of time knows the Urim and Thummim story. Joseph Smith is portrayed as having translated the Book of Mormon with some special seer stones which were found with the gold plates. The Book of Mormon translation was possible with this Urim and …
Continue reading “The Problems with Joseph Smith and Peep Stone Translations”