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 …
Tag Archives: first vision
Andy Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Andy’s life mirrored the ideal Mormon path: raised in the church, served a mission, attended BYU, married in the temple, and served faithfully in the church for decades. He remained a committed member, navigating questions and doubts while striving to stay true to his faith. But his journey took a profound turn after the unexpected …
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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 …
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Mormons Expected to Stand Forever – Despite Questions
Church leader Lawrence E. Corbridge, an LDS Seventy, gave a BYU Devotional that addresses how to properly deal with questions. Corbridge explains that he’s read all the anti-Mormon literature out there, but was successfully able to put all his questions on the shelf because he was able to convince himself that his questions don’t matter …
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Email to Sydney Australia Mortdale Stake: Pilot Program – Informed Consent
The members of the Sydney Australia Mortdale Stake received an email informing them the area had been selected for a Pilot Program named Informed Consent. The program announced two objectives: 1) to ensure that converts are fully informed before they commit to baptism, and 2) for all members to have a “short” lesson to make …
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Byron Marchant Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Byron Marchant was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) who made history by taking a stand against the church’s racial policies at a pivotal time. In 1977, Marchant openly opposed the LDS Church’s priesthood ban on Black members, a policy that had been in place for over a …
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Why Worry about Different Versions of the First Vision
In 1983, Gordon B. Hinckley, then Second Counselor in the First Presidency, but later President of the Church spoke to students at the Salt Lake Institute of Religion. An edited version of this address was then given as the First Presidency Message in the October 1984 Ensign. The message, God Hath Not Given Us the …
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Nothing to Hide?
President Gordon B. Hinckley, top leader of the Church (1995-2008) addresses several issues related to the church’s history and practices in an interview on Christmas Day in 2005. The interview covered many topics but here we’ll look closely at what he said about polygamy and fundamentalist Mormons and church history and transparency. Polygamy and Fundamentalist …
Larry Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Meet Larry, from Southern California and a Mormon family. Despite a relatively normal upbringing, Larry began noticing the differences his faith brought into his life. Larry enjoyed a balanced childhood, all while Larry harbored doubts about the truth of Mormonism. His doubts deepened when a Patriarchal blessing of protection for his family during his mission …
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Does a “Burning in Your Bosom” Outweigh Physical Evidence?
!["You could have [the gold] plates, you could turn the pages, you could look at them, you could hold them, and you wouldn't know any more after that experience whether or not the book is true than you would have before... You will not get to know it by trying to prove it archaeologically, or by DNA, or by anything else, in my judgment... I don't believe that's how people will ever come to know whether or not the Book of Mormon is the word of God... Religious truth is always confirmed by what you feel." - Elder M. Russell Ballard, LDS Apostle addresses the question of whether there is scientific proof of The Book of Mormon | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/M-Russell-Ballard-addresses-the-question-of-whether-there-is-scientific-proof-of-The-Book-of-Mormon.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1)
In an attempt to convince people that the lack of archaeological, DNA, or linguistic evidence supporting the Book of Mormon is nothing to be concerned about, LDS Apostle M. Russell Ballard makes quite an interesting claim in the video shown below. He says… I don’t believe that’s how people will ever come to know whether …
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Murphy Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Meet Murphy, born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she was deeply involved in the church. Murphy was dedicated to her faith until it became a source of intense frustration and anger. Her strong, opinionated nature clashed with the church’s expectations for women, leading to resentment and a feeling of being unfulfilled in …
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Nancy Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
As a teenager on the cusp of her senior year in high school, she found herself drawn to the teachings of the Mormon faith, intrigued by its promises of spiritual fulfillment and belonging. Despite initial skepticism, Nancy’s interest was piqued by Joseph Smith’s first vision, a story that resonated with her own quest for understanding …
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Mormon Truth Claims Crumble With Changing Church History Narrative
The Church is built on specific claims. The church claims that Joseph Smith met God and Jesus, received ancient plates from an angel, translated them, and had priesthood authority restored by heavenly messengers. Church leaders even state that if the events didn’t occur, the church would fall apart. This is the danger in the church …
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Joseph Smith’s Failed Attempt At Raising the Dead
The Mormons had a revival in Ohio on June 4, 1831. Joseph Smith led the meetings and there were quite a few spectacles in the meetings. The conference received a lot of hype in the area because many were converting to the church. There were rumors that there would be miracles performed at the conference. …
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Dianne Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Dianne’s path reflects a profound shift from unwavering faith to skeptical inquiry. Raised in the Mormon tradition and deeply devoted to its tenets and beliefs, her journey toward disbelief began with a clash between science and religious doctrine. As she grappled with the stark disparities between empirical evidence and faith-based teachings, Dianne embarked on an …
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If The First Vision Did Not Occur, This Work Is A Fraud – Hinckley
Gordon B. Hinckley’s quote underscores the foundational importance of the First Vision in Mormon theology. Our whole strength rests on the validity of that vision. It either occurred or it did not occur. If it did not, then this work is a fraud. …Upon that unique and wonderful experience stands the validity of this Church. …
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Gift of Crisis
The tumult of a faith deconstruction, especially in the Mormon faith, has been termed as a crisis, it’s often referred to as a faith crisis. There are podcasts focused on this, even books written about it. BYU did a study on the social media impact on a faith crisis which defines how the church views …
Joseph Smith’s Story Parallels his Mother
Joseph Smith has some interesting points in his history that stand out. Upon reading his mother’s own biography, a few of the same points stand out. Could it be that Joseph’s own story borrows from those of his mother? Could he borrow from both of his parents? We can see that he already integrated his …
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Don’t Pray About A Mission! Dumb Question!
Elder Kevin W. Pearson gave an address as a “Rising Generation” fireside in Bountiful, Utah where he made a respectable of himself spouting nonsense. He shouted at the young men the advice “Do NOT pray about whether or not you should go on a mission!” calling this a “Dumb Question!” Is he worried about the …
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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. …
Would There Be Fewer Mistakes if God Restored His Church Through You?
Elder Kyle McKay, the Executive Director of the Church History Department asks a rhetorical question. He asks during a devotional address (A Sure and Certain Foundation) in which he attempts to bolster testimonies by teaching how to believe. He absolves church leaders of mistakes by basically countering that “you couldn’t do any better.” He suggests …
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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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