Joseph Fielding Smith - wasmormon.org

Can Mormons Drink Caffeine?

"For your information please be advised that the drinking of a beverage made from the coffee bean, from which the caffeine and deleterious drugs have been removed, is not a violation of the Word of Wisdom, and the drinking of Sanka is not a justifiable reason for denying a temple recommend to one who is otherwise worthy. We shall be pleased to have you convey this information to the presidency of the elders quorum." - David O McKay deems decaf coffee not to be against the Word of Wisdom or bar members from the temple | wasmormon.org

Mormons and those interested in joining the church are instructed that members of God’s church don’t drink coffee or tea. It comes from the Word of Wisdom and has been interpreted differently over the years, but it has always included “hot drinks”. The Word of Wisdom states that hot drinks are not for the belly. …

Continue reading “Can Mormons Drink Caffeine?”

Elijah Able, Early Black Mormon Received Priesthood via Joseph Smith

Elijah Abel was the first black person to be baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was also the first black man to receive the priesthood, ordained an elder in 1836 under the hands of the prophet Joseph Smith. Abel's journey was one of pain, suffering, liberation and spiritual redemption. A few years after receiving the priesthood, Abel was ordained as a seventy-a high position of leadership in the LDS faith. Abel served missions for the LDS Church in Ohio, New York and Canada. | wasmormon.org

Elijah Abel was an early African American member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon Church. He is notable for being one of the few black individuals ordained to the priesthood before the church implemented a policy that restricted black men of African descent from receiving the priesthood. …

Continue reading “Elijah Able, Early Black Mormon Received Priesthood via Joseph Smith”

More Momon Thoughts on Evolution

"Our families may be corrupted by worldly trends and teachings unless we know how to use the book to expose and combat the falsehoods in socialism, organic evolution, rationalism, humanism, etc. Our missionaries are not as effective unless they are “hissing forth” with it." - Ezra Taft Benson, Church President | wasmormon.org

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 …

Continue reading “More Momon Thoughts on Evolution”

The Strange Hidden First Vision Account of 1832

"Joseph Smith evidently wrote his history on the first three leaves of the book in summer 1832." "These three leaves were later cut from the volume but have since been reattached." The 1832 First Vision Account is displayed with visible tape to reattach it back into the journal in the Joseph Smith Papers Project.

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”

On Being a Mormon Historian from Michael Quinn

"The tragic reality is that there have been occasions when Church leaders, teachers, and writers have not told the truth they knew about difficulties of the Mormon past, but have offered to the Saints instead a mixture of platitudes, half-truths, omissions, and plausible denials... A so-called "faith-promoting" Church history which conceals controversies and difficulties of the Mormon past actually undermines the faith of Latter-day Saints who eventually learn about the problems from other sources." Dr. D Michael Quinn, Excommunicated Mormon | wasmormon.org

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

"Man has always been man. Dogs have always been dogs. Monkeys have always been monkeys. It’s just the way genetics works." Russell M Nelson, LDS Church President | wasmormon.org

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 Historians Attempt Normalizing Strange Seer Stone In Hat Translation Method

"it sounds a little bit strange to then think of it as Joseph Smith looking at a stone in a hat" Mason Kamana Allred, volume editor at the Joseph Smith Papers Project | wasmormon.org

Mason Allred and Mark Ashurst-McGee discuss the various historical accounts of the Book of Mormon translation process, including accounts of Joseph Smith using a Seer Stone to translate the ancient record and accounts of Joseph Smith using the Urim and Thummim in a video posted on the “Church History/Latter-day Saint History” YouTube account, the official …

Continue reading “Church Historians Attempt Normalizing Strange Seer Stone In Hat Translation Method”

Joseph Fielding Smith Taught The Seer Stone Was Not Used for Book of Mormon Translation

"The Seer stone not used in Book of Mormon translation." Joseph Fielding Smith in Doctrines of Salvation | wasmormon.org

The New Narrative We have many statements and posts from current church leaders trying to normalize Joseph’s seer stone translation. We have Elder Uchtdorf and Brother Brad Wilcox discussing the rock in a hat and independently comparing it to a mobile phone of all things. We even have President Nelson demonstrating the rock-in-hat procedure Joseph …

Continue reading “Joseph Fielding Smith Taught The Seer Stone Was Not Used for Book of Mormon Translation”

Elder Uchtdorf Compares Peep Stone to His Smartphone

“In reality, most of us use a seer stone every day. My mobile phone is like a seer stone”. - Elder Uchtdorf, Mormon Apostle

The church has done much to normalize the fact that Joseph Smith used a peep stone or seer stone when he purportedly translated the Book of Mormon. They have released images of the exact stone he used and have received quite a bit of pushback since in the past, the narrative was he used the …

Continue reading “Elder Uchtdorf Compares Peep Stone to His Smartphone”

Evolution vs Mormon Truth Claims from Joseph Fielding Smith

"If evolution is true, the church is false." 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”

Joseph Smith and “The” “First” “Vision”

The church will continue to bury honest discussions about "The" "First" "Vision" in dishonest apologetics. One version of Joseph Smiths first vision in stained glass. “Joseph Smith’s First Vision” in the Palmyra Temple, created by Tom Holdman.

Was the first vision a “vision”? Was it the “first” one? Which one is “The” first vision? There are so many different accounts. The gospel topic essay mentions some of the main versions, but they also gloss over the differences and dismiss them all. The First Vision is a total misnomer and can be completely debunked with some simple reading and thinking. Something the church does not want members to do, they do everything they can to keep members from looking at the accounts. They first tried to hide them, and then they dismiss them by saying “we’ve always been honest and transparent about these accounts, and they all tell the same consistent story anyways, so don’t worry, trust us”.

Facts More Important than Cherished, Mistaken Beliefs

"Facts are more important than any cherished mistaken beliefs" Elder Hugh B Brown | wasmormon.org

The honest investigator must be prepared to follow wherever the search of truth may lead. Truth is often found in the most unexpected places. He must, with fearless and open mind insist that facts are more important than any cherished, mistaken beliefs, no matter how unpleasant the facts or how delightful the beliefs. Hugh B …

Continue reading “Facts More Important than Cherished, Mistaken Beliefs”

If Joseph Smith was a deceiver, who willfully attempted to mislead the people, then he should be exposed – but leave the church alone won’t you?

You can leave the Church, but you can’t leave it alone, bring a friend

In response to those who wonder why mormons who leave the church and then speak out against it and echo the phrase: “You can leave the church, but you can’t leave it alone.” Glenn L. Pace, Follow the Prophet, General Conference, April 1989https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1989/04/follow-the-prophet As mormons, we have been taught to share truth. That desire and …

Continue reading “If Joseph Smith was a deceiver, who willfully attempted to mislead the people, then he should be exposed – but leave the church alone won’t you?”